Australian Military Units

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Groves Wright Anderson, VC, MC

Date of birth  1897-02-12  Cape Town, South Africa. 
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs)  1914  Private, Kenya Defence Force. 
Other  1914 - 1918  Served in East Africa in the 2/3rd King's African Rifles Regiment. 
Other  1915  Gunner, Calcutta Volunteer Battalion. 
Date commissioned  1916-10-13  Comissioned as a lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion, Kings African Rifles Regiment. 
Date of discharge  1919-02  Demobilised. 
Date of honour or award  1919-02-07  Awarded the Military Cross, for his part in the campaign against the German led Askari, in East Africa. 
Date promoted  1932  Appointed captain in Kenya Defence Force. 
Other  1934  Moved to Australia. 
Other  1939-03-03  Joined the Citizen Military Forces and was appointed captain in the 56th Battalion, Riverina Regiment, Australian Military Forces. 
Other  1939-10-01 - 1939-10-14  Attended a company commander course at the Command and Staff School, Sydney. 
Date promoted  1939-10-26  Promoted to temporary major. 
Date and unit at appointment (Officers)  1940-06-01  Enlisted in the 2nd AIF. 
Other units  1940-07-25  Seconded as major in the 2/19th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. 
Other  1941-02-18  Arrived in Singapore with the 2/19th Battalion. 
Date promoted  1941-08-01 - 1942-02-15  Promoted to acting lieutenant colonel and commanding officer of the 2/19th Battalion. 
Date promoted  1941-11-14  Gazetted lieutenant colonel, back dated to 1st August 1941. 
Other  1942-01-07  Temporarily relinquished command due to medical reasons. 
Date of honour or award  1942-01-18 - 1942-01-22  Awarded the Victoria Cross. 'During the operations in Malaya from the 18th to 22nd Jan 1942, Lieut. Col. ANDERSON, in command of a small Force, was sent to restore a vital position and to assist a Brigade. His Force destroyed ten enemy tanks. When later cut off, he defeated persistent attacks on his position from air and ground forces, and forced his way through the enemy lines to a depth of fifteen miles. He was again surrounded and subjected to a very heavy and frequent attacks resulting in severe casualties to his Force. He personally led an attack with great gallantry on the enemy who were holding a bridge, and succeeded in destroying four guns. Lieut. Col. Anderson throughout all this fighting, protected his wounded and refused to leave them. He obtained news by wireless of the enemy position and attempted to fight his way back through the eight miles of enemy occupied country. This proved to be impossible and the enemy were holding too strong a position for any attempt to be made to relieve him. On the 19th January, Lieut. Col. Anderson was ordered to destroy his equipment and make his way back as best he could round the enemy position. Throughout the fighting, which lasted for four days, he set a magnificent example of brave leadership, determination and outstanding courage. He not only showed fighting qualities of a very high order but throughout exposed himself to danger without any regard to his own personal safety.' 
Date captured  1942-02-15  Became a prisoner of war when British forces in Malaya surrendered. 
Other  1942-02-16  Reported missing in action. 
Other units  1942-05-14  Attached to A Force. 
Other  1942-05-27  Arrived in Burma. 
Date released  1945-08-20  Reported Safe in Allied hands, Siam. 
Date returned to Australia  1945-11-01   
Date of discharge  1945-12-21  AIF appointment was terminated. Anderson transferred to the Reserve of Officers. 
Other  1949  Elected to the House of Representatives as Country Party member for Hume in the general election. He was defeated in 1951, regained it in 1955 and retained it till 1961. 
Other  1951  Anderson lost the seat of Hume in the general election. 
Other  1955  Anderson regained his seat as Member for Hume in the House of Representatives in the general election. 
Other  1961  Anderson lost the seat of Hume in the general election. 
Date of death  1988-11-11  Canberra, ACT.