b. 1827 Liverpool. d. 19/04/1899 Seaham Harbour, Durham.
Charles Anderson (1827-1899) was born sometime in 1827 in Liverpool. He enlisted with the 2nd Dragoon Guards in 1845 and would serve in the Army for nearly 45 years, before retiring as a corporal in 1870.
CharlesAndersonVC
At the time of the Indian Mutiny, he and the other 2nd Dragoon Guards were heavily involved in the pursuit of the rebels in the latter stages of the rebellion. On 8th October 1858, at Sundelee, near Jamo, Oudh Province, Major Seymour led a group of 40 men from the Rifles into pursuing some rebels into a sugar-cane plantation. On entry into the crops, they came under attack and one officer was killed and one severely wounded. At this point, Major Seymour found himself desperately trying to fight off several assailants and would have been overwhelmed if it was not for the swift actions of Private Anderson and Trumpeter Thomas Monaghan, who fought off the attackers.
Both men were awarded the VC on 11th November 1862, and were presented with their medals on 5th January 1863 at Benares by General Sir Hugh Rose. Following his Army service, Anderson moved to the North East of England and became a coal miner. In a tragic accident on 19th April 1899, he slipped and fell from a cliff at Seaham Harbour, near Sunderland. He was buried in Princess Road Cemetery, Seaham. His medals are now held by the 1st Dragoon Guards Regimental Museum, Cardiff Castle. For years, the Museum actually held a copy of his medal, before purchasing the original. In 2018 it was purchased by Michael Ashcroft.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: LORD ASHCROFT GALLERY, IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
BURIAL PLACE: PRINCESS ROAD CEMETERY, SEAHAM, COUNTY DURHAM.
SECTION A GRAVE 1271
Acknowledgements
Thomas Stewart – VC Medal on display at the Imperial War Museum, London