Thirty-three-year-old Andrew Black was a member of the Toowoomba British Football Association committee when he enlisted in September 1916. During his time on the committee he helped arrange the Friendly Societies’ Shield, a competition which ran in place of the formal senior football league which had been suspended for the war. Black was also a referee, and played for Rangers at the time of enlistment, having previously turned out for Caledonians.
He arrived in France in May 1917 and was assigned to the 15th Battalion. While fighting at Hamel in July 1918, Black received a bullet wound which required an operation. He was invalided back to England and eventually embarked back to Australia days before the armistice.
On return to Toowoomba, Black continued his involvement with the Caledonian Society, often seen singing at events, including a comedy play about bigamy in 1922. He was also seen returning to the soccer field in 1920 in a selection game for the Toowoomba representative team.
Black’s name was added to the Toowoomba British Football Association honour board in 1918.