Eric Anderson (VC)

Private Eric Anderson VC (15 September 1915 – 6 April 1943) was a British Army soldier and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

For other people with the same name, see Eric Anderson (disambiguation).

Eric Anderson
Born(1915-09-15)15 September 1915
Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
Died6 April 1943(1943-04-06) (aged 27)
Wadi Akarit, French Tunisia
Buried
Sfax War Cemetery, Tunisia
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1940–1943
RankPrivate
Service number4347754
UnitEast Yorkshire Regiment
Battles/warsSecond World War
Awards Victoria Cross

Early life

He was born in Fagley in Bradford, West Yorkshire, the only son of George and Mary Anderson.[1] He became a driver for a building and contracting firm in Idle, West Yorkshire.[2]

Service

Anderson was 27 years old, and a Private in the 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, British Army during the Second World War[1][3][4] when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.[1][4]

On 6 April 1943 on the Wadi Akarit, Tunisia, when a company of the East Yorkshire Regiment had to withdraw temporarily behind the crest of a hill, Private Anderson, a stretcher-bearer, went forward alone through heavy fire to rescue the wounded. Three times he brought in wounded comrades, and was rendering first aid to a fourth when he was mortally wounded.[5]

He is buried in Sfax War Cemetery in southern Tunisia.[1][2][3] His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Prince of Wales Own Regiment of Yorkshire Museum in York.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Casualty Details". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  2. Lister, Derek A J (2004). Bradford's Own. Sutton. ISBN 0-7509-3826-9.
  3. "VC Burials World-Wide – Tunisia". Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  4. "Yorkshire Regiment Museum". Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  5. "No. 36110". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 July 1943. p. 3421.

Further reading
  • Harvey, David (1999). Monuments to Courage: Victoria Cross Headstones and Memorials. Vol. 1, 1854–1916
  • Buzzell, Nora (1997), This England, 3rd Edn., 352pp, ISBN 0-906324-27-0
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