Charles Groves Wright Anderson VC MC (1897-1988)

LT COL Charles Groves Wright Anderson VC MC

Born 12 Feb 1897 in Newlands, Port Elizabeth, Cape Province, South Africa

Ancestors

Son of Alfred Gerald Wright Anderson and Maïa Louise Antoinette (Trossaert) Mayer

Brother of Jack Marcel Wright Anderson, Gerald Victor Wright Anderson, Claude Birbeck Wright Anderson, Rudolph Ebenezer Mason Anderson, Maia Alfreda Ivy (Anderson) Carberry and Jean M Anderson [half]

Husband of Edith Marian (Tout) Anderson — married 21 Feb 1931 in Nairobi, Kenya

Father of Nicholas Gerald Anderson

Died 11 Nov 1988 at age 91 in Red Hill, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

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1 Biography
2 Sources
3 See also

Biography

Charles Anderson VC MC is Notable.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Anderson VC MC was a South African-born Kenyan and Australian grazier, soldier and politician. Having been awarded the Military Cross for gallantry during the First World War, in Mozambique, he became the only Australian battalion commander in the Second World War to be honoured with the award of the Victoria Cross, for his galantry in Malaya. He was a prisoner-of-war in Singapore and in Thailand on the infamous Burma-Thai Railway.

Charles Anderson VC MC

Charles Groves Wright Anderson was born on 12th February 1897 in Newlands, Port Elizabeth (now known as Gqeberha), Cape Province, South Africa. He was the fourth (third surviving) of five sons of Alfred Gerald Wright Anderson, an English-born auditor and (later) newspaper editor, and his Belgian-born wife Maïa 'Emma' Trossaert. ^[1] In 1900, the family moved to the East Africa Protectorate (Kenya) settling on a farm near Nairobi called Mount Margaret. After commencing his formal education in Nairobi at a government school, Charles was sent in 1907 to England to board with an uncle and aunt before entering St Brendan’s College, Brislington, Bristol, in 1910.

Charles' mother 'disappears from the scene' between 1904 and 1915, at which time his father married again in New Zealand. Charles' father and step-mother were living in Western Australia in 1917, where they had a daughter.

The Great (later known as the First World) War

Charles returned home at the outbreak of war, enlisting in the Calcutta Volunteer Battalion. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the King's African Rifles on 13th October 1916 and fought with that regiment's 3rd Battalion in Nhamacurra, Portuguese East Africa (now Mozambique) against the German-led Askari. He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for his service in this campaign and received a temporary promotion to Captain. ^[2]^[3]

Post war

Turning to farming after the war, Charles served as chairman of the Kenya Settlers’ Association in the Rift Valley Province.

Charles married Australian-born Edith Tout, a niece of (Sir) Frederick Tout, on 21st February 1931 in the Anglican Cathedral of the Highlands, Nairobi.

Australia calling

Charles Anderson VC MC migrated from Kenya to New South Wales.

During a subsequent visit to Edith's homeland, Charles purchased an 890 hectares (2,200 acres) grazing property, Fernhill, near Crowther, between Cowra and Young, in western New South Wales. With their daughter and twin sons, they moved to Australia in 1935 and settled on their land. At this time, Charles' father was also living in New South Wales, at West Wyalong (where he died in 1936); just 170 kilometres west of Crowther.

Second World War

Victoria Cross

In March 1939 Charles joined the Citizen Military Forces (Australia's Militia), being appointed Captain in the 56th Infantry Battalion. He was promoted to Major in late October that year, soon after the declaration of the Second World War, and in July 1940 transferred to the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF), the nation's all-volunteer expeditionary force for the war. ^[4] Appointed second-in-command of the 2/19th Infantry Battalion, a unit in the ill-fated 8th Division, Charles embarked for Malaya in February 1941. ^[5] He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 1st August 1941 and took command of his battalion. Within months Malaya was invaded by the Japanese and, facing far greater numbers, the Allied Forces fought a delaying action as they withdrew to the supposed impenetrable fortress of Singapore. For his part, Charles conducted a fighting withdrawal to Parit Sulong during which he and his men were cut off and suffered heavy casualties. He led them through four days of heavy fighting in a bid to reach Allied lines. For his leadership, his protection of his own wounded men, and for repeatedly risking his own life Anderson was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC)—the highest ranking Australian officer, the first Australian in fighting against the Japanese and the only Australian battalion commander in the Second World War to be so honoured. ^[6] The citation read (in part), ... for setting a magnificent example of brave leadership, determination and outstanding courage. He not only showed fighting qualities of very high order but throughout exposed himself to danger without any regard for his own personal safety. ^[7]^[8] On the night of 15th February 1942 the Singapore defenders, out of ammunition, medical supplies, water and rations, were ordered to surrender.

LT COL Charles Anderson VC MC was a prisoner of war during the Second World War.

Charles and his men then endured three and a half years in Japanese captivity before returning to Australia in late 1945. ^[9] Appointed second-in-command of A Force, the first group of 3,000 Australians employed on the infamous Burma-Thailand Railway, Charles left Changi Prison, Singapore in May 1942. ^[10] He took charge of a group of Allied prisoners working on the northern section of the railway. In negotiating to reduce the privations of his men, he frequently risked (and on at least one occasion received) a beating from Japanese guards. His personal conduct became legendary and helped to sustain prisoners’ morale.

His personal conduct became legendary and
helped to sustain prisoners’ morale.

Charles in Siam on 14th September 1945

No more war

Charles' appointment in the AIF was terminated on 21st December 1945 with his name being placed on the Reserve of Officers and he returned to Fernhill. ^[4]

He attended the Governor-General of Australia, the Duke of Gloucester, at Admiralty House, Sydney on 8th January 1947 for the investiture. ^[11]^[6]

He stood in the 1949 Federal election and won the 'seat' of Hume in the House of Representatives as the Country Party candidate. At the following Federal election in 1951, he lost the seat but regained it in 1955, remaining in office until 1961. ^[3] From 1957 to 1961 he was appointed to the Joint Committee on the Australian Capital Territory, ^[12] he and Edith moved to Red Hill in Canberra. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal in 1953. ^[13]

Charles retained his military links in peacetime, becoming Honorary Colonel of the 56th Battalion (1956-57) and the 4th Battalion (1957-60), Citizen Military Forces. In 1959 he returned to Thailand as special Australian representative during wreath-layings on war graves at the River Kwai. In 1968 he visited Malaya as the guest of the British 17th Division. In 1977 he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal. ^[13]

Final parade

Aged 91 years, Charles passed away on 11th November 1988 in Red Hill, and his ashes were interred at Norwood Park Crematorium and Memorial Gardens, Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory. ^[14] He was survived by two daughters and a son; Edith and their other son predeceased him.

Honours and awards

In order of precedence (left to right), Charles deservedly received the following honours and awards. His medal set is on display at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra: ^[15]^[13]