Military History

Embarked Fremantle per HT ‘Scotian’ 9.5.1916 for Egypt.
Rank Private.
Roll Unit 11th Reinforcement, 28th Battalion, 7th Infantry Brigade.
Anderson disembarked in Egypt and marched in to the 7th Training Battalion. He entrained with his unit to Alexandria and joined the British Expeditionary Force. They embarked from Alexandria to Marseille 10.5.1916. His Battalion fought at the first major battle at Pozieres between July and August 1916. Anderson was wounded in action, and suffered Shell Shock 29.8.1916. Later, he was accidentally wounded with a gunshot wound to his foot 10.11.1916. The 28th Battalion, as part of the 7th Division, fought on the Hindenburg Offensive in May 1917. Anderson was wounded in action 5.5.1917 (second time) with a gun shot wound to the thigh, and a third time on 26.10 1917.
He was KIA at Zonnebeke, Belgium 4.10.1917 with 28th Battalion 11th Reinforcement. His place of burial is unknown. Anderson is commemorated at the Menin Gates Memorial, Ypres, West Vlaanderen, Flanders, Belgium.
Final Rank Private, 28th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force.
Medical Condition Deceased, KIA.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Place of birth/residence in Guildford not known. Anderson's death was recorded in a letter from A. J. Smith to his mothe , that was printed in the local paper (Toodyay Herald 22.12.1917 p2)

Photo Anderson. Photgrapher unknown, photgraph source AWM P06954.002,
           Anderson in  'Australia's Fighting Soms of the Empire'.Facs.Ed. Reproduced with permission of Hesperian Press, 2014 p254
           Pozieres village destroyed by shell fire 1916. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E00511
           Exhausted stretcher bearers Zonnebeke 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E00976
           Menin Gate War Memorial 1938. Secured by Captain James Murphy of the British War Graves Commission. Photograph source AWM H16916

Information Source
Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire.' Palmer and Ashworth (1922). Facsimile Edition published by Hesperian Press, Victoria Park. WA. 2014
AWM  P06954.002. Pte. Anderson Gordon 1916. Photographer unknown. Photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM  E00511. Pozieres village destroyed by shell fire 1916. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM  E00976. Exhausted stretcher bearers Zonnebeke 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM  H16916. Menin Gate War Memorial 1938. Secured by Captain James Murphy of the British War Graves Commission. Photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Pictorial Collection https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P06954.002
Australian War Memorial Embarkation Roll- Gordon Anderson
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour- Gordon Anderson
NAA: B2455, Anderson G
Toodyay Herald

Northam, WA.

 

Associated Images