William Herbert Anderson VC

b. 29/12/1881 Glasgow, Scotland. d. 25/03/1918 Bois Favieres, France

William Herbert Anderson (1881-1918) was born on 29th December 1881 at 17 Woodlands Terrace, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was known as Bertie. His father, William James, was an accountant and later became a member of the Glasgow Stock Exchange in 1875. He went into partnership with his father, working as a chartered accountant for Messrs Kerr, Anderson and Macleod in Glasgow. He married Eleanora “Nora” Kay on 30th March 1881 at Cornhill, Coulter, Lanarkshire. His father was later appointed CBE for his work as Honorary Treasurer of the Scottish Branch of the Red Cross. Bertie had four brothers, though tragically, one of them died as a baby, and two of the other three were killed during World War I. His youngest brother also was killed in a flying accident in 1918.

Bertie was educated at Cargilfield Preparatory School, Edinburgh, Fettes College, Edinburgh and in Tours, France. He became a partner in his father’s firm of Messrs Kerr, Anderson and Macleod. On 4th July 1909 he married Gertrude Campbell Gilmour at the Parish Church (St Andrew’s), Alexandria, Dunbartonshire. They had two sons – William and Charles.

WilliamHerbertAndersonVC

In 1900 he joined the 1st Lanark Rifle Volunteers (“Gallant Greys”) which became the 5th Scottish Rifles (Cameronians). Eight years later, when the Territorial Army replaced the Volunteers, he retired with the rank of Lieutenant, and and returned to being a partner in his father’s firm. He also took a keen interest in politics.

A month after the war began William joined the 17th Highland Light Infantry (the Chamber of Commerce Battalion) with the rank of Captain, and was deeply involved with the unit’s training in Scotland and England. Before his battalion left Codford, however, Anderson was instructed to carry out a similar training job from November 1915 while serving as second-in-command to Colonel William Auld of 19th Highland Light Infantry.

On reaching France in September 1916 William was attached to the 9th East Surrey’s as their second in command in October. In March 1917 Anderson was invalided home with pyrexia but returned to France in June of that year. He became Second-in-Command of the 12th Highland Light Infantry. He was promoted to Commanding Officer in February 1918, just prior to his VC action.

On 25th March 1918, at Bois Favieres, near Maricourt, France, the enemy attacked on the right of the battalion frontage and succeeded in penetrating the wood held by our men. Owing to successive lines of the enemy following on closely there was the greatest danger that the flank of the whole position would be turned. Grasping the seriousness of the situation, Colonel Anderson made his way across the open in full view of the enemy now holding the wood on the right, and after much effort succeeded in gathering the remainder of the two right companies. He personally led the counter-attack and drove the enemy from the wood, capturing twelve machine guns and seventy prisoners, and restoring the original line. His conduct in leading the charge was quite fearless and his most splendid example was the means of rallying and inspiring the men during the most critical hour. Later on the same day, in another position, the enemy had penetrated to within three hundred yards of the village and were holding a timber yard in force. Colonel Anderson reorganised his men after they had been driven in and brought them forward to a position of readiness for a counterattack. He led the attack in person and throughout showed the utmost disregard for his own safety. The counter-attack drove the enemy from his position, but resulted in this very gallant officer losing his life.

The Germans removed his identity disk and sent it to the International Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland. He was buried in Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt, France. The story of the Anderson brothers is the basis of the novel The Way Home written by Bertie’s great grandson Robin Scott-Eliot in 2007. The medal was presented to his widow at the Orthopaedic Hospital, Becketts Park, Leeds, West Yorkshire on 31st May 1918. One of their sons, Patrick, served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in World War II. He is further commemorated on the family grave at New Kilpatrick Churchyard, Glasgow, on a plaque in Glasgow Cathedral, on the Roll of Honour at the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle, and on war memorials in Cardross, Largo, Fettes College, Glasgow Academy and the Western Club, Glasgow. He also has a VC commemorative stone at People’s Place, Glasgow Green, unveiled on 25th March 1918.

In addition to the VC he was awarded the British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19. William’s medals were placed on loan to the Imperial War Museum, until on 8th November 2016, they were purchased in a private sale by Michael Ashcroft, and became part of the Ashcroft Collection.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: LORD ASHCROFT COLLECTION.

BURIAL PLACE: PERONNE ROAD CEMETERY, MARICOURT, FRANCE.

PLOT II, ROW G, GRAVE 36