ANDERSON, Armadale Charles
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 August 1915, Lt Cadets, Capt and Major in Militia |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 26th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mauritius, 25 April 1877 |
| Home Town: | Cressy, Northern Midlands, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia |
| Occupation: | School Master |
| Died: | 29 July 1954, aged 77 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Cornelian Bay Cemetery and Crematorium, Tasmania Derwent Gardens Aust. Imp. Forces Arch 1 South 2H |
| Memorials: | University of Tasmania |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 26th Infantry Battalion, Lt Cadets, Capt and Major in Militia | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Sep 1915: | Embarked Lieutenant, 26th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 27 Sep 1915: | Involvement Lieutenant, 26th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 26 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 26th Infantry Battalion | |
| 4 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Captain, 26th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), SW left shoulder joint | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 169 (4 October 1917). | |
| 11 Jun 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Captain, 26th Infantry Battalion |
Life and Times of Armadale
He was born in Mauritius in 1877 and came to Australia with his family as a young man, where he worked as a tutor to the children of Joshua Fergusson at Tinderbox. He married Joshua's daughter Ethel Annie.
Armadale enlisted on 25 August 1915 and was a Lieutenant on enlistment. He was a 38 year old school master at Cressy School when he enlisted, and was fluent in French, which was his mother tongue. He embarked from Melbourne on the HMAT A20 Hororatia on 27 Sept 1915.
He was Commanding Officer of the Instructor Officers Course at Le Touquet, where he lectured on the use of the Lewis Gun. He was at the battles of Westhoek Ridge, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Thames Wood and Passchendale and Bullecourt. He also served as Battalion Interpreter, and was wounded and gassed on several occasions.
When posted to the command of B Company he and his men held the embankment and railway cutting at Bullecourt and was Mentioned in Despatches, for his role in the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt. He had a trench named for him - Anderson's Trench, at Bullecourt.
Armadale returned to Australia in 1918, and was awarded an MBE in 1951 for services to education. After the war he was Head Master at Cressy School, wore his uniform every day to school, and expected the pupils to address him as Major.
He died in 1954.
Courtesy of Robin Lee
Submitted 29 January 2016 by Faithe Jones
Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
He was born in Mauritius in 1877 and came to Australia with his family as a young man, where he worked as a tutor to the children of Joshua Fergusson at Tinderbox. He married Joshua's daughter Ethel Annie.
Armadale enlisted on 25 August 1915 and was a Lieutenant on enlistment. He was a 38 year old school master at Cressy School when he enlisted, and was fluent in French, which was his mother tongue. He embarked from Melbourne on the HMAT A20 Hororatia on 27 Sept 1915.
He was Commanding Officer of the Instructor Officers Course at Le Touquet, where he lectured on the use of the Lewis Gun. He was at the battles of Westhoek Ridge, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Thames Wood and Passchendale and Bullecourt. He also served as Battalion Interpreter, and was wounded and gassed on several occasions.
When posted to the command of B Company he and his men held the embankment and railway cutting at Bullecourt and was Mentioned in Despatches, for his role in the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt. He had a trench named for him - Anderson's Trench, at Bullecourt.
Armadale returned to Australia in 1918, and was awarded an MBE in 1951 for services to education. After the war he was Head Master at Cressy School, wore his uniform every day to school, and expected the pupils to address him as Major.
He died in 1954.
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