Contributed by Ron Inglis, April 2022:
Clerk and short-hand typist Charles Anderson was ’24 8/12’ when he enlisted at the Liverpool camp on 22 June 1915. A native of Scotland, Anderson was the son of James and Margaret Anderson of Ward House, 18 Woodburn Road, Lidcombe. Perhaps because he had two years service in the Garrison Artillery, Private Anderson had a relatively short training period of seven weeks in Australia before embarking on the Runic on 9 August 1915.
A report in The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Saturday, 7 August 1915, p2, tells of a farewell given by the Auburn Presbyterian Church to Anderson, Jack Cochrane, and Thomas and Victor Barr "whose services have been accepted for the front." Reverend White gave an address and asked the four young recruits to come forward. They were greeted with "For they are jolly good fellows” and loud cheers. Mr. D. Smythe made a presentation of a pocket Testament to each one. Anderson responded on behalf of the soldiers. He said he looked forward to the time when they returned to Auburn with the "ashes" of victory.
There is no indication of Anderson serving on Gallipoli, but his arrival in Egypt before 31 December 1915 meant he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star. At the Tel el Kebir camp in Egypt, Anderson was allocated to the 1st Battalion and he moved with them to the Western Front, arriving at the French port of Marseilles on 28 March 1916.
The 1st Battalion, along with the rest of the 1st Australian Division, moved by train to the Nursery Sector in the far north of France, but were then brought back down to the Somme in early July ready to join the Battle of the Somme launched by British forces on 1 July 1916. On 18 July 1916, Anderson was promoted to Lance Corporal. He was killed in action four days later in the first few days of battle. He was buried in the Gordon Dump Cemetery, on the southern edge of the Pozières battlefield. Anderson had been in the AIF for a little over one year. For his gravestone his parents chose the inscription: DEARLY LOVED SON OF I & M ANDERSON LATE OF ABERDEEN SCOTLAND
Charles Anderson is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Lidcombe War Memorial
- Auburn Presbyterian Church First World War Honour Roll
- Auburn Presbyterian Church First World War Memorial Window
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- 1914-1915 Star