William Herbert Anderson
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel William Herbert Anderson VC
(29 December 1881 – 25 March 1918) was a Scottish
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
Anderson was born on 29 December 1881 to W. J. Anderson CBE, who resided at Strathairly, Largo, Fife
. He was married to Gertrude Campbell.
Anderson was 36 years old and an acting lieutenant colonel
in the British Army, in the 12th (S) Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry, during the First World War
, and was awarded the VC for his actions on 25 March 1918 at Bois Favieres, near Maricourt
, France
. He died as a result of the act for which he was commended.
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(29 December 1881 – 25 March 1918) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Anderson was born on 29 December 1881 to W. J. Anderson CBE, who resided at Strathairly, Largo, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. He was married to Gertrude Campbell.
Anderson was 36 years old and an acting lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in the British Army, in the 12th (S) Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry, during the First World War
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...
, and was awarded the VC for his actions on 25 March 1918 at Bois Favieres, near Maricourt
Maricourt
Maricourt is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France. It is twinned with Brundall, Norfolk, England.-Geography:Maricourt is situated on the D938 road, some southeast of Amiens.-Population:-The Commonwealth Cemetery:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He died as a result of the act for which he was commended.
Citation
A novel, The Way Home, was published in 2007 about Bertie Anderson and his three brothers who were also killed in the First World War. It was written by Robin Scott-Elliot, Bertie's great-grandson. His VC is on display at the Lord Ashcroft Gallery in the Imperial War MuseumImperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
.