Donald Clive Anderson
Encyclopedia
Captain Donald Clive Anderson (born 18 April 1897 Cookham
, England
and died 2 Jan 1957), joined the British Army
in India before fighting in the Middle East
and Europe
in World War I
. Anderson toured Australia
before making The Four Feathers (1939 film)
Sudan
, working for the Ministry of Information during World War II
, following the war working on Festival of Britain
.
and joined the 122nd Rajputana Infantry
which once the World War I
started was sent to the Middle East and then on to the French battle fields. The Rajputana Infantry became part of the Rajputana Rifles
in 1921. In India, Anderson was at Quetta cadet college (1915) and visited Kohat
(1915). Anderson sailed for the Middle East in 1915 stopping at Port Said in April and Malta before fighting in Mesopotamia
(1916 to 1917) and was involved in a convoy from Armara to Kut
.
After the War Anderson returned to the Britain visiting family in Guernsey
in 1920.
An early skier Anderson spent the winter of 1920-21 in Mürren
Switzerland, which is the town where the famous Kandahar ski club was set up in 1924. The name for the club is said to be named after the "Robers of Kandahar-Cup" first run in 1911. During the 1880 Afghanistan War Lord Roberts won a battle in Kandahar.
In early 1921 Anderson sailed to Australia on the P&O ship SS Macedonia and returned to England in the Early 1930s.
While in Australia Anderson visited Il Parran, Glenn Innes
(1923), Hobart
(Aug 1924) visiting Amy Gant, Andersons Mothers first cousin wife of Tetley Gant
, member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council.
In 1924 with C.L. Morell, Anderson toured several stations in the Northern Territory and Queensland: Barclay Downs, Lawn Hill Station, Alexandra
before returning through Goondiwindi and Pukawidgi near Inverell in 1925.
Anderson was the Military Consultant for the film The Four Feathers
directed by Zoltan Korda
, starring John Clements
, Ralph Richardson
, June Duprez
and C. Aubrey Smith. Captain Anderson ensured the accuracy of the military uniforms and procedure in England and Sudan
. During filming, Captain Anderson dressed as a Sudanese tribesman led the charge of Khalifa's cavalry in during the filming.
During World War II
, Anderson worked for the Ministry of Information using experience gained in the making of the Four Feathers. He was also the Australia
n specialist for the Ministry because of his time spent in Australia.
After the War Anderson worked as the Chief Press Officer for the Festival of Britain
in London
.
in 1917. Patrick was based at Waddington
, Turnhouse
and Midlothian
.
Anderson married English author Verily Bruce in 1940. They had five children: Marian, Rachel, Edward, Janie, and Alexandra.
Cookham
Cookham is a village and civil parish in the north-easternmost corner of Berkshire in England, on the River Thames, notable as the home of the artist Stanley Spencer. It lies north of Maidenhead close to the border with Buckinghamshire...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and died 2 Jan 1957), joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in India before fighting in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Anderson toured Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
before making The Four Feathers (1939 film)
The Four Feathers (1939 film)
The Four Feathers is a 1939 adventure film directed by Zoltan Korda, starring John Clements, Ralph Richardson, June Duprez, C. Aubrey Smith. Set in the 1890s during the reign of Queen Victoria, it tells the story of a man accused of cowardice. It is one of a number of adaptations of the 1902 novel...
Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, working for the Ministry of Information during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, following the war working on Festival of Britain
Festival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
.
Early life
Anderson enlisted for the British Indian ArmyBritish Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
and joined the 122nd Rajputana Infantry
122nd Rajputana Infantry
The 122nd Rajputana Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1818, when they were raised as the 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry....
which once the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
started was sent to the Middle East and then on to the French battle fields. The Rajputana Infantry became part of the Rajputana Rifles
Rajputana Rifles
The Rajputana Rifles is the most senior rifle regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1921 as part of the British Indian Army, when six previously existing regiments were amalgamated together to form six battalions of the 6th Rajputana Rifles...
in 1921. In India, Anderson was at Quetta cadet college (1915) and visited Kohat
Kohat
Kohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
(1915). Anderson sailed for the Middle East in 1915 stopping at Port Said in April and Malta before fighting in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
(1916 to 1917) and was involved in a convoy from Armara to Kut
Kut
Al-Kūt is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about 160 kilometres south east of Baghdad. the estimated population is about 374,000 people...
.
After the War Anderson returned to the Britain visiting family in Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
in 1920.
An early skier Anderson spent the winter of 1920-21 in Mürren
Mürren
Mürren is a traditional Walser mountain village in Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, at an elevation of 1,650 m above sea level and unreachable by public road....
Switzerland, which is the town where the famous Kandahar ski club was set up in 1924. The name for the club is said to be named after the "Robers of Kandahar-Cup" first run in 1911. During the 1880 Afghanistan War Lord Roberts won a battle in Kandahar.
In early 1921 Anderson sailed to Australia on the P&O ship SS Macedonia and returned to England in the Early 1930s.
While in Australia Anderson visited Il Parran, Glenn Innes
Glen Innes, New South Wales
Glen Innes is a parish and town on the Northern Tablelands, in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the centre of the Glen Innes Severn Shire Council. The town is located at the intersection of the New England Highway and the Gwydir Highway...
(1923), Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
(Aug 1924) visiting Amy Gant, Andersons Mothers first cousin wife of Tetley Gant
Tetley Gant
Tetley Gant, CMG was an Australian barrister, Tasmanian Politician and University Chancellor.-Early Life - England:...
, member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council.
In 1924 with C.L. Morell, Anderson toured several stations in the Northern Territory and Queensland: Barclay Downs, Lawn Hill Station, Alexandra
Alexandra
Alexandra is the feminine form of the given name Alexander, which is a romanization of the Greek name Αλέξανδρος . Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb ἀλέξειν "to defend" and the noun ἀνδρός , genitive of ἀνήρ "man". Thus it may be roughly translated as "protector of man"...
before returning through Goondiwindi and Pukawidgi near Inverell in 1925.
Career
The Four Feathers (1939 film)
The Four Feathers is a 1939 adventure film directed by Zoltan Korda, starring John Clements, Ralph Richardson, June Duprez, C. Aubrey Smith. Set in the 1890s during the reign of Queen Victoria, it tells the story of a man accused of cowardice. It is one of a number of adaptations of the 1902 novel...
directed by Zoltan Korda
Zoltán Korda
Zoltan Korda was a Hungarian-born motion picture screenwriter, director and producer.Born Zoltán Kellner, Kellner Zoltán in Hungarian name order, of Jewish heritage in Pusztatúrpásztó, Túrkeve in Hungary , he was the middle brother of filmmakers Alexander and Vincent Korda.Zoltan Korda went to...
, starring John Clements
John Clements
Sir John Selby Clements, CBE was an English actor and producer who worked in theatre, television and film.Clements attended St Paul's School and St John's College, Cambridge University then worked with Nigel Playfair and afterwards spent a few years in Ben Greet's Shakespearean Company. He made...
, Ralph Richardson
Ralph Richardson
Sir Ralph David Richardson was an English actor, one of a group of theatrical knights of the mid-20th century who, though more closely associated with the stage, also appeared in several classic films....
, June Duprez
June Duprez
June Duprez was an English film actress.The daughter of American vaudeville performer Fred Duprez, she was born in Teddington, Middlesex, England, during an air raid in the final months of World War I....
and C. Aubrey Smith. Captain Anderson ensured the accuracy of the military uniforms and procedure in England and Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. During filming, Captain Anderson dressed as a Sudanese tribesman led the charge of Khalifa's cavalry in during the filming.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Anderson worked for the Ministry of Information using experience gained in the making of the Four Feathers. He was also the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n specialist for the Ministry because of his time spent in Australia.
After the War Anderson worked as the Chief Press Officer for the Festival of Britain
Festival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Family
The son of Frank Anderson, Donald had one brother Patrick and two sisters Blanch and Christine. Patrick who died in an aeroplane crash while in the Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in 1917. Patrick was based at Waddington
RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Formation:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
, Turnhouse
Turnhouse
Turnhouse is a suburb in the west of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.The area is east of Edinburgh International Airport, and Turnhouse is also the name for the former Royal Air Force base, now closed, which dates back to the First World War and was the origin of the current civilian airport...
and Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
.
Anderson married English author Verily Bruce in 1940. They had five children: Marian, Rachel, Edward, Janie, and Alexandra.
External links
- The 122nd Rajputana Infantry in Mesopotamia 1917-1918, Christopher Trevelyan, King-Emperor