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Remembrance
- The Yorkshire Regiment, First World War Corporal William ANDERSON, VC. 8191. Close window to return to main page |
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Corporal William ANDERSON, VC, 8191.
Photo : Ancestry.co.uk
Corporal William ANDERSON, VC. 8191.
2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Native of Dallas, Elgin, Morayshire.
Killed 13 March 1915. Aged 29.
Born Dallas (Elgin, N B), Enlisted London, Resided Forres (Morayshire)
Commemorated Panel 12, LE TOURET MEMORIAL.
William Anderson was the eldest son of Alexander and Bella Anderson born at
Dallas, Elgin, Scotland in December 1882.
(* Please see footnote below regarding genealogical information).
He was educated at Forres Academy before working at Glasgow Tramways Depot
and in Elder Hospital, Govan in Glasgow. He enlisted in the 2nd Battalion,
The Yorkshire Regiment in 1905 serving in India, Egypt and South Africa before
being discharged to the Reserve in 1912. He was mobilised and sent to his
old battalion in 1914, and as a Corporal travelled with the 2nd Yorkshires
to Belgium to join the British Expeditionary Force.
Between October and November 1914, he took part in the First Battle of Ypres.
He fought at Estaires in early 1915.
8191 Corporal William Anderson was awarded the VC for the part he played in
the Battle of Neuve Chapelle on 12th March 1915.
He was killed on the 13th March 1915, aged 30 years, and his body was never
found. The citation for the award of a posthumous Victoria Cross was announced
in The London Gazette on 22nd May 1915. As both parents were dead, his posthumous
VC was presented to his brother, Alex Anderson on 19th May 1920, in the banqueting
hall at Edinburgh Castle by Lieutenant General Sir Francis Davies.
Corporal Anderson's name appears on the Le Touret 'Memorial to the Missing'
at Pas-de-Calais, some four miles to the north east of Bethune in France.
It is carved with those of 234 other members of the Yorkshire Regiment who
have no known graves. His VC and medals were donated to the Regiment by his
brother in 1969 and are held by the Green Howards Regimental Museum in Richmond.
Andrew Nixon provides
the following correction to the genealogical information on William Anderson
and his parents;-
Scottish Genealogical Record B 1883 129 2, to be found in New Register House,
Edinburgh, shows that
a William Anderson was born at Dallas, Elgin on 28 December 1882
b His father, Alexander (a general labourer), and his mother, Isabella, were
married at Dallas, Elgin, on 26 November 1880.
We are very grateful to Andrew Nixon for providing this information.
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