More about William Anderson

William Anderson was the son of Mr William and Mrs Mary Fisher Anderson, 88 Rosebank Street, Dundee. In May 1915 he volunteered to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn for service in the Royal Naval Division. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training. Drafted to the Hood Battalion he joined it in Gallipoli in August 1915 and remained there until the evacuation in January 1916. Before it was transferred to France in May he was granted leave and travelled to Malta. He took part in the last assault of the Somme Battle in November 1916 and was wounded in action. On recovery, he rejoined the Hood Battalion and enjoyed a leave in Dundee. He became ill there and had to be admitted to the Dundee War Hospital for several days. On return to France he took part in the Battle of Gavrelle in April 1917 and later died of wounds received. William Anderson is buried in the Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Northern France. A memorial to the Royal Naval Division was built on the outskirts of Gavrelle, Northern France and, in the church at Gavrelle, there is a wooden cross with the names of those from the Hood Battalion who died in the fighting there.