Oliver Anderson

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Wed, 30/09/2015 - 14:10

First Name:

Oliver

Last Name:

Anderson

Mother's Name:

Catherine Anderson

Father's Name:

Martin Anderson

Date Enlisted:

Wednesday, August 11, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

13th Battalion

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Wednesday, April 11, 1917

Place of Death:

Bullecourt, France

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Details:

Oliver Anderson (Service No 4129) was born in Wollongong, N.S.W. around 1896.

Oliver enlisted when he was 19 years old; he was single and working as a wheeler. He had also served in the CMF.

Oliver embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A60 Aeneas with 13th Reinforcement, 13th Battalion, on 20th December 1915 and arrived in Egypt on 29th March 1916.

He was then sent on to France, arriving on 8th June 1916. Oliver was involved in fighting at the Somme. On 12th August 1916, he was wounded, recorded as 'suffering with shell shock' but returned to his unit the next day.

In April 1917, Oliver was fighting at Bullecourt, France. Initially reported to be missing in action, it was finally established by a Court of Inquiry, on 8 October 1917, that Oliver has been killed while fighting, on the 11th April 1917.

However there was some confusion during the time between his being reported missing and the official declaration of 'Killed in Action', with inquiries made to determine whether or not Oliver had been a prisoner of war, and possibly taken to a German POW camp.

There is no known grave for Oliver. He is commemorated on the Australian National Memorial, Villers- Bretonneaux, France.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, ANDERSON O