Launched prisoner of conflict Lieutenant Colonel Anderson (left) in Bangkok, Thailand, in September 1945. Picture: Australian Battle Memorial.
The generations of individuals residing in Younger who would bear in mind Charles Groves Wright Anderson are fading away.
His dying in Canberra, in 1988 at age 91, made the nationwide information. A memorial stone and plaque mark his remaining resting place at Norwood Crematorium within the ACT.
Younger wasn’t his birthplace, but it surely was his hometown. A park north of the principle avenue, just under the railway station, is called in his honour.
At its centre sits a memorial. An obelisk – a tremendous instance of artwork deco design topped by a big cone-shaped torch – flanked by two partitions of plaques.
The Charles Groves Wright Anderson of my childhood was a slight, bespectacled man who was usually heard calling after his two canine – Poodie, a poodle, and Honeybun, a chihuahua. His pores and skin was pale and funky, his fingers lengthy and skinny. Spherical glasses offset his angular options. He was a really quiet, candy, light man.
Again then he was Grandfather Anderson. Not by blood, however by marriage. He was part of our household, and us his.
He was also referred to as the Colonel, a title none of us tearaways understood as we have been too busy doing what youngsters do in large homes with large gardens.
His dwelling of ‘Springfield’ was a spot of nice pleasure and celebration, the place Granny Anderson would disappear into her pottery room and the see-saw, with plow disk seats that went spherical and spherical, was terrific enjoyable.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Groves Wright Anderson. Picture: Australian Battle Memorial.
On Remembrance Day, it’s not possible to reconcile that frail man in his comfortable home along with his two canine as a person who fought in varied theatres of conflict. A person who displayed such fortitude, fearlessness, heroism and management he was awarded each the Navy Cross and the Victoria Cross.
Whereas tens of millions of males fought in each world wars, few acquired Britain’s most prestigious decorations recognising their valour in each conflicts.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles GW Anderson was one in all these uncommon males.
An adolescence in Kenya probably ready him for his first conflict on the aspect of the British towards German forces as a lieutenant within the King’s African Rifles regiment throughout the East African Marketing campaign in World Battle I.
Blisteringly scorching climate, thick bushy terrain, the specter of wild animals, snakes and tropical ailments proved as formidable because the enemy, however Anderson dealt with the hostile situations, preventing fiercely and bravely.
For his actions he was awarded the Navy Cross – Britain’s third highest ornament for valour.
However his expertise of preventing in a scorching local weather, usually at shut quarters in dense bush and troublesome terrain, would show helpful later in life.
By the point conflict broke out once more, Charles Anderson was married, a father of three and residing on a property close to Younger.
It was stated that as a middle-aged, bespectacled, veteran of an earlier conflict, Anderson didn’t appear to be a Hollywood-style conflict hero.
However by August 1941 he was in Malaya as commanding officer of the two/19th, a battalion he had educated within the artwork of jungle warfare, bayonet preventing and snap taking pictures with a rifle.
It wasn’t lengthy earlier than they have been preventing off advancing Japanese on the west coast, a spot the place he distinguished himself each as an officer and a gentleman answerable for a small drive of Australians and Indians.
In the course of the Battle of Muar from 18 to 22 January, 1942, Anderson commanded a small drive that destroyed 10 enemy tanks which left them lower off from the principle drive.
So amid air and floor assaults, Anderson led his troops by 15 miles of enemy territory, at one level personally taking out two machine gun posts along with his revolver and some grenades. His efforts to clear the way in which for his males to advance noticed his involvement in ugly hand-to-hand preventing and bayonet fees.
Lieutenant Colonel Anderson grew to become a prisoner of conflict, commanding ‘Anderson’s drive’ on the Burma-Thailand Railway. Picture: Australian Battle Memorial.
At Parit Sulong, the contingent was halted by Japanese forces who had retaken a bridge that stood between them and the retreating most important Allied Power.
Surrounded, outnumbered and missing reinforcements, Anderson’s staff fought to recapture the bridge and for days maintained their place, refusing to give up regardless of struggling horrible casualties from tank, machine gun, mortar and air assaults.
Then Anderson tried to steer his males by eight miles of enemy territory to Yong Peng, however this proved not possible. Pressured to destroy their gear and autos, the boys have been ordered to flee by the jungle and meet up with the principle drive.
For his courageous actions and management, Anderson was awarded the Victoria Cross. Nevertheless it didn’t finish his conflict.
He was taken into captivity on February 15, 1942, and endured the distress and squalor of being a prisoner of conflict and commanding ‘Anderson’s drive’ on the Burma-Thailand Railway.
Regardless of a excessive charge of dying and sickness, he maintained a excessive degree of morale amongst his males, all of who would have adopted him to hell and again.
He survived to return to household, farming and a political future as Member for Hume, serving three phrases.
It was on November 11, 1988, Charles Anderson died in his dwelling at Purple Hill.
He was cremated with full army honours.
