15/11/2023
The museum's Object for the Month for November is not only appropriate to the Remembrance commemorations at the weekend but also introduces one of the most important donations to the museum for some time.
During the summer, the family of Lieutenant Colonel William Herbert (Bertie) Anderson VC very kindly donated his original WWI cross, which was sited outside the family home in Sutherland for over 100 years.
The son of a chartered accountant, William was born in Glasgow in 1881 and was educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh, after which he followed his father into accountancy.
At the age of 36 years, William was an acting Lieutenant Colonel in 12th (Service) Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry (12 HLI), on the Western Front. William was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 25 March 1918 at Bois Favieres, near Maricourt, France; and sadly died as a result of that action for which he was commended. William is buried at the Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt.
Although, William's VC citation is quite lengthy, I think that is worth printing it in full:
"For most conspicuous bravery, determination, and gallant leading of his command. The enemy attacked on the right of the battalion frontage and succeeded in penetrating the wood held by our men. Owing to successive lines of the enemy following on closely there was the greatest danger that the flank of the whole position would be turned. Grasping the seriousness of the situation, Colonel Anderson made his way across the open in full view of the enemy now holding the wood on the right, and after much effort succeeded in gathering the remainder of the two right companies. He personally led the counter-attack and drove the enemy from the wood, capturing twelve machine guns and seventy prisoners, and restoring the original line. His conduct in leading the charge was quite fearless and his most splendid example was the means of rallying and inspiring the men during the most critical hour. Later on the same day, in another position, the enemy had penetrated to within three hundred yards of the village and were holding a timber yard in force. Colonel Anderson reorganised his men after they had been driven in and brought them forward to a position of readiness for a counterattack. He led the attack in person and throughout showed the utmost disregard for his own safety. The counter-attack drove the enemy from his position, but resulted in this very gallant officer losing his life. He died fighting within the enemy's lines, setting a magnificent example to all who were privileged to serve under him."
But that is not the end of the story, William was the oldest of four Anderson brothers and was the last of the brothers to perish in WWI:
Captain Charles Hamilton Anderson, 1st Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry (1 HLI), died on 19 December 1914;
Second Lieutenant Alexander Ronald Anderson, 1st Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry (1 HLI), died on 8 October 1915; and
Captain Edward Kerr Anderson, Royal Flying Corps & 5th Battalion, The Highland Infantry (5 HLI), died on 16 March 1918, just one week before William was killed.
When the wooden crosses in the war cemeteries were replaced by more permanent grave markers; families of the dead were invited to collect the crosses - sadly, of course, most families didn't have sufficient funds to take up the offer. William's intrepid widow, Gertrude, was able to travel to Maricourt to retrieve William's cross and it stood for over 100 years in Sutherland. Although treated, the cross has become quite fragile, so the Anderson family had a replica created and donated the cross to the museum. Clearly, we are extremely honoured to be allowed to conserve and have the cross on display in the museum.
