New-York tribune., 1918-06-14
S. Rankin Drew
Killed in Flying
Over Boche Line
His Death Is Confirmed;
He Gave Up Acting to
Fight for Allies


S. Rankin Drew. son Of Sidney Drew,
the we'll known motion picture star,
and a nephew of John Drew, the actor,
who has been flying in the British Avi-
alton Corps for year, was reported
from Paris yesterday to have been
killed on May 1S. The machine, which
was one of a patrol flying over the
German lines, was known to have been
shot down inside the enemy's territory
on that date. Confirmation Of the death
of the aviator, however, was not made
until yesterday.
News of the death of young Drew
will come as a shock to thousands who
knew him, both by his work in motion
pictures, for he had followed in the
footsteps of his father, and those who
had an opportunity to come in personal
contact with him. Particularly so, in
asmuch as his father, although he has
heen in possession of a letter sent by
the Red Cross Bureau of Information
at Washington a week ago, which prac-
tically confirmed the latter's worst
fears for his sons safety, has stead
fastly refused to admit the possibility
of the young man having suffered
worst fate than to have been made
prisoner.
Corporal Dred--he had won promo
ton only short time before his death
was shot down a year to day from
the time he sailed from New York.
His father had a letter from him, dated
Nav IL. in which the young man COM
blamed only of the fact that changes
beiug made in his machine had kept
him on the ground for five days.
An Actor and Playwright
Few finer examples of personal sac
rIfice have come to light in the war
than that made by Corporal Drew. His
rise in his chosen field of work had
been rapid. Although only twenty
seven years old, he was we'll known
as an actor; had written several plays
which WON no small measure of sue
cess. and was recognized as one of the
foremost motion picture directors IN
the country.
At the time of his enlistment in the
French ambulance corps, his income
was estimated to be $4,000 annually,
and he had only begun to capitalize
Ills resources. He was unmarried, and
from the beginning of the war had re-
peatedly told his friends that he could
not stay out of the conflict.
On his arrival in France, Mr.. Drew
was assigned to driving an ambulance
between Paris and field hospitals. This
work soon became too tame for the
young man and he secured his transfer
to the aviation corps.
The death of his son has proven a
tremendous blow to the father. He
was seen last night at his home at
Sea Gate.
you'll find Mr.. Drew in the library"
said Mrs. Drew, step-mother of Cor
poral Drew, and who is herself we'll
l. l., relyi Of
when she admitted the reporter. "He
is a very broken man." she added,
"and | do not know whether he can
talk to you"
In the library the man who has made
millions laugh by his quaint, subtle
gift for fun, sat at a little table. AS
the reporter stood in the entrance to
the room tears stole down the face Of
Mr. Drew.
Feels Son Did Wonderful Thing
There isn't much l can say" Mr..
Drew said. Il feel that my boy did
wonderful thing. Of course, the pub
lication Of his death notice from Paris
to-day makes it almost certain he has
been lost and it has broken me badly.
But that is only because he be-
longed to me-" Mr.. Drew added hastily.
My own grief hasn't blinded me for
minute to the glory of the thing he did
and to the manner in which he died"
S. Rankin Drew was born in New
York City He was educated at the
Mount Pleasant Military Academy and
the Tupper School, After graduating
from the latter institution his father
planned for him to go to Harvard, but
the youth begged his father to permit
him to go on the stage and the latter
consented.
Mrs. Drew said last night that her
stepson was nothing but great big
boy at heart. He had always a love
Tor things military and in his room at
little tin soldiers, mementoes of his
boyhood days
One of the last things Drew did be-
fore sailing for France, Mrs. Drew
said, was to go to his room and care
fully wrap up a little tin soldier
dressed in the uniform of France. The
toy had lost an arm during some won
derful battle Of boy days long past
but the wound only seemingly only en-
deared him to his owner.
AS he stuffed the trinket into his
beg young Drew had laughingly told
his father he thought the little chap
ought to be declared in for the grand
entry into Berlin
PARIS, June .13.--Corporal S. Rankin
Drew, son of Sidney Drew and nephew
OF John Drew, the actor, who was re-
air fight, according to the Gazette
des Ardennes," newspaper published
In the French language by the Ger
mans in the occupied section of France.
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