Lance Corporal Richard Lawrence Anderson

Richard Lawrence Innes Anderson was born at Glen Innes, New South Wales on 24 July 1887 to parents David Anderson and Julia Mathilde Anderson (maiden name unknown).

Anderson was appointed as a messenger with the New South Wales Lands Board Office at Goulburn on 6 August 1903 at the age of 15.

Anderson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Liverpool, New South Wales, on 17 July 1915 and was attached to the 9th Reinforcements, 1st Field Company Engineers (FCE) as a sapper. He embarked from Melbourne aboard the troopship Port Lincoln on 16 October 1915. On 28 December 1915, Anderson was taken on strength with his unit in France.

Anderson was wounded in action in late July 1916 while undertaking the construction of trench strongpoints during the battle of Pozières. Anderson was sent to St Luke’s War Hospital, Halifax, England suffering from the effects of gas and shell shock. In November, Anderson was transferred to the 2nd Auxiliary Hospital and discharged in the same month. In March 1917 he rejoined his unit in France. During September, he attended a Bridging School for two weeks. After this, Anderson rejoined his unit and was appointed lance corporal on 30 September 1917. On 7 November, Anderson was again wounded in action and invalided to England for treatment for a gunshot wound to the left thigh. Anderson was moved through several hospitals in England for treatment and discharged on 24 December 1917.

Anderson’s unit was working from Frémicourt, France, in May 1917 attached to the Anzac Light Railway, relaying and maintaining railway lines in the Beugnâtre/Frémicourt area near Bapaume. While at Frémicourt, Anderson performed in a concert organised by the 1st FCE on 16 May 1917. He sang the first song in the program, “Where my caravan has rested”.

In January 1918 Anderson was attached to the Engineers Training Depot at Brightlingsea, England, until May 1918. On 7 June 1918, Anderson returned to his unit in France and in August was invalided to England and admitted to hospital with traumatic arthritis and a dislocated cartilage of his left knee. On 25 October 1918, Anderson was discharged from hospital. He returned to Australia aboard the troopship Suevic on 20 November. He disembarked in Australia on 3 January 1919 and was discharged on 21 June 1919.

Little is known of Anderson’s life after his discharge. He appears not to have married and was a retired clerk residing in Mount Druitt at the time of his death.
Richard Lawrence Innes Anderson died at the Randwick Military Hospital, New South Wales, on 11 May 1943 at the age of 55.