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Auction: 17003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 695

'During the period he was in command of his Brigade, my Sector was engaged in intensive night operations in the defence of East Anglia and the Midlands, and I can say without hesitation that, but for Brigadier Anderson's whole-hearted co-operation and hard work, my Sector would never have reached the efficiency in night defence which it did, and which I venture to suggest contributed in no small degree to the defeat of the German night raids on our industrial centres of the Midlands.

Brigadier Anderson always set a magnificent example of hard work and devotion to duty. He invariably remained on duty throughout the night when operations or training were in progress, and this in no way stopped him from carrying out his normal routine work by day. I have rarely known a senior officer who put so much energy and hard work into his duties, and, in my opinion, the Country owes him a great debt.'

A testimonial written by Air Vice-Marshal Basil Embry, dated 24 November 1943, refers; he was writing in protest to the Ministry of Pensions, which had refused to acknowledge the Brigadier's early demise was a result of his war work.

An outstanding Great War Mesopotamia operations M.C. group of seven awarded to Brigadier T. R. Anderson, Royal Artillery: gallant service in Mesopotamia aside - an action-packed sojourn vividly described in his accompanying diaries - he conducted himself with equal distinction in France in 1940, overseeing the evacuation of his men under fire at Dunkirk

His sense of duty during his subsequent tenure of senior command on Home Defence duties undoubtedly led to his early demise in 1943: in fact, wartime legend Basil Embry's tribute to him bears testament to a remarkable man who knowingly sacrificed his life in the name of victory

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (2 Lieut. T. R. Anderson, R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (Major T. R. Anderson); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, the Great War awards mounted as worn, the earlier awards polished, generally very fine or better (7)


M.C. London Gazette 26 August 1918.

Thurgar Rolland Anderson was born on 12 August 1892, the son of Francis Philip and Sarah Anderson. Commissioned in the Royal Artillery in December 1911, he first witnessed active service in France and Belgium with the Royal Field Artillery in the period November 1914 to September 1915. He was advanced to Lieutenant.

Mesopotamia

By way of example, the following extracts have been taken from his diary in January 1916:

'The Battery then came into action in the open at 10 a.m. to support the infantry attack. We got shelled coming in to action, but nobody was hit. Turner got hit in the shoulder about half an hour later. The Turks then proceeded to give us a devil of a doing. One of their guns got the line on our No. 3. A direct hit on the wagon wheel took off one fellow's leg; two minutes later another fellow in the detachment got a leg taken off. The rest of the battery was also shelled, but not so accurately. We had to clear everybody away from No. 3 gun. The Major was hit in the afternoon by a spent rifle bullet. I was standing next to him at the time. Through the wrist and in the shoulder … We came out of action at dusk … I forgot to say that they hit No. 3 wagon again, a direct hit into one of the limbers, which blew one of the doors 50 yards but did not explode the ammunition … '

'It was a misty morning, but we opened fire at 8.30 a.m. At 11.30 we got orders to cross to the other side of the river, where we are now. We went straight into action to cover our attacking infantry, not even waiting for the entire battery to get over. The wagon line got shelled and my horse-holder and two horses were hit; my horse-holder will lose his finger they say … In this country, one has to come into action in the open; there is not a bit of cover anywhere … '

'The wounded get a rotten time here - not a motor ambulance - stretcher cases are put on to an A.T. cart and jolted for four miles to some sort of dressing station where they may - or may not - be looked at; they are then dumped on a ship. Other cases are shown a mark on the horizon and are told to go there. At night they nearly all lose their way and the chances are that marauding Arabs get them … the Arabs are swine, and make no mistake; at night, or even in the day, if you are away from people, they come up to you in a friendly way. They then knock you on your head, strip you and leave you. This happened to a Corporal of ours. One always goes about armed … '


France and Belgium 1940

Remaining a regular gunner between the wars, Anderson was advanced to Major in May 1929 and on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, he was serving as a Lieutenant-Colonel in command of 2nd Searchlight Regiment, R.A. It was in this capacity that he joined the B.E.F. in December 1939. A glimpse of the period of active service may be found in another testimonial, written by a fellow officer:

'The Regiment, consisting of four Batteries, was deployed over a very large area in the north of France, and some troops were stationed upwards of 90 miles from their parent battery, let alone from Regimental H.Q. The wide deployment of the batteries and troops greatly increased the Colonel's responsibilities in commanding the Regiment, and involved continual journeys of great distances, since he was tireless in visiting all troops under his command to inspect them and to supervise training.

I was posted to the Regiment in France on 16 May 1940 and met the Colonel at St. Omer on about 24 May 1940. From that time on, I was in constant contact with him until June 1941. Since the time of the German breakthrough, the Colonel and his H.Q. had been constantly on the move and, despite the complete breakdown of communications throughout France, he had been doing all within his power to contact his detached batteries and troops. When I met him, that part of his regiment which was at St. Omer was deployed in defence of the St. Omer Canal. On relief, he led the Regiment through Herzeele and Dunkirk into Belgium in order to give personnel, who had been constantly on the move by day and by night over five days, a much needed rest. Regimental H.Q., 8 S.L. Battery and odd troops of other batteries were concentrated at Moeres, there being no news as to what happened to the remaining batteries of the Regiment. The Colonel, therefore, refused to take the opportunity of resting but spent the entire time in Dunkirk to the south, making personal efforts to contact other batteries. He was, I know, also entrusted with reconnaissance of positions for the defence of Dunkirk. As a result, he was absent from Moeres by day and by night and, on his few appearances at Moeres, all officers in contact with him commented upon the visible effects of the strain to which he was being subjected, and upon his complete lack of thought for self.

That part of the Regiment concentrated at Moeres was evacuated from Dunkirk to Dover on 29-30 May 1940. The embarkation, which took place during an attack from the air by night, was personally supervised by the Colonel, down to the last detail.'

Senior command

In the summer of 1941, Anderson was advanced to Brigadier and given command of 32nd Anti-Aircraft Brigade. His command included Heavy Anti-Aircraft, Light Anti-Aircraft and Searchlight units. Further, he was responsible in his Operations Room by night for the control of all these units, and to a large extent of R.A.F. fighters co-operating with them. As always, Anderson's sense of duty was quite remarkable. Basil Embry wrote:

'On numerous occasions I tried to persuade Brigadier Anderson to take leave, because he looked so tired and ill, but he would rarely do so on the grounds that he must do all in his power to bring his Brigade up to the degree of efficiency which he deemed necessary for the defence of the country. Moreover, I constantly pressed him to leave the Operations Room at night because he looked so tired and done up, but he would never do so if enemy aircraft were operating …'

And so to the Brigadier's early demise on 7 August 1943, aged 50, a death, in Embry's opinion, largely attributable to his hard work and 'unsparing efforts': 'It was only his high sense of duty which prevented him from sparing himself the excessive strain of commanding the A.A. Brigade during the night blitz period.'

Sold with a large quantity of original documentation, including an important Great War mss. diary and accompanying photographic archive:

(i)
M.I.D. certificate, in the name of 'Capt. T. R. Anderson, R.A.', Lieutenant-General W. R. Marshall's despatch, dated 15 April 1918, in its original forwarding envelope.

(ii)
Buckingham Palace illuminated memorial scroll, in the name of Brigadier T. R. Anderson, M.C.'

(iii)
A hand written diary document, from 2.1.1916 to 19.6.16, describing in great detail life in camp on the outskirts of Kut, with typed copy.

(iv)
A hand-written diary, titled 'On the Staff, October 1916, Vol. 2.' A detailed account of life in Mesopotamia, including combat, problems associated with endless sandstorms, and the morale and health of the men.

(v)
Letters (14) typed by Anderson from Bombay, Calcutta and Saugor, to his mother and father from 23.6.1918 to 15.9.1918. These describe life at Staff School, friendships made, and discussions regarding the Armistice and future peace.

(vi)
An equine inspired photograph album (approximately 120 images), showing life at Barrackpore, Poona, Trimulgherry and other locations in India, prior to the outbreak of the Great War; images of horse 'No. 98' and 'Snowdrop,' and 'Swimming horses' (5); group shots of the 7th Battery, R.F.A., including the winning football team of the Palipahari Cup, 1913; and images of Colonial family life, 115 photographs in total.

(vii)
A superb wartime photograph album 1915-18 (approximately 330 images), including scenes of 'D' Battery of the R.H.A. at Hazebrouck in May 1915; trench systems at Champigny and the machinery of war such as caterpillar tractors, armoured cars and 9.2-inch howitzers. It goes on to feature the horses of the battery, including 'Jehu, Jervis, and Bally Velly,' together with images of billets and men of other regiments; of the journey from France to Mesopotamia in 1916, including convoys of horses around Sannaiyat; of the Gurkha guard and Turkish prisoners captured near Kut, February 1917; of the Royal Navy on the Tigris, including H.M.S. Sawfly, H.M.S. Cranefly, H.M.S. Firefly and H.M.S. Moth; and early images of Baghdad, including the Khadimain Mosque; together with Tigris Corps Artillery map with hand annotated colour trench systems, affixed to the back of the album.

(viii)
A photograph album (approximately 190 images), showing family life back in England from 1919 to 1920, including weddings and group shots; Sports Day for 'L' Battery of the R.H.A. at Aldershot, followed by a return to India via Gibraltar aboard H.M.T. Huntsgreen in September to October 1921; and subsequent images of the Prince of Wales' Review, 27 January 1922, and the Nery Sports Day of 1923.

(ix)
A photograph album (approximately 100 images), commencing with the recipient's wedding, annotated 6 September 1923; formal photographs of the bride and groom (4), together with page boys and girls, and the Guard of Honour, swords drawn; a Trimulgherry; newspaper article regarding the wedding, followed by a comprehensive photographic record displaying holidays to Egypt and life in India; images of his new-born daughter and her growing up back in Shoeburyness, England, in the 1930s.

(x)
Loose-leaf pages from a Second World War photograph album, displaying a group shot of the 2nd Searchlight Battalion, R.A., December 1939; a photograph of the winning R.A. Football Team, Div. II League 1938-39; inspections of French troops prior to the German invasion, 1940; medal award ceremony and photographs of French troops; 11 images in total.

(xi)
Copy of the Will(s) of Mrs. Sarah Anderson and Francis Philip Anderson, and a codicil to the Will of Francis Philip Anderson, 1917-1920, held by Ellis Pears & Co., Albemarle St., London; letter to the recipient regarding the sale of his parents' home and distribution of funds between himself and his sister; further paperwork regarding the Estate of Mrs. Sarah Anderson and accounts relating to investments and shares.

(xii)
Letters of condolence to the recipient's wife, regarding the loss of her husband; a considerable archive from friends, family and serving soldiers.


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Sold for
£1,500