 Leslie Andrew was born on 23 March 1897 in <unk> in the <unk> region of New Zealand , the son of a local school headmaster . He grew up in <unk> , where his father had moved his family having taken up a position in the area , and was educated at <unk> Collegiate School . After leaving school he was employed by the New Zealand Railways Department as a clerk . He participated in the cadet program while at school , and later joined the Territorial Force . By 1915 , he had been promoted to sergeant and had sat the necessary exams to become a commissioned officer in the <unk> . 
