6/2034 Private Hugh Anderson, MM, (6/2/1895-1/10/1916). "the bitterest blow"

Private Hugh Anderson, wounded in France, is a son of Mr W. Anderson, Riverside. Private Anderson enlisted in January, 1915, and, was to have sailed with the Fifth Reinforcements, but had to undergo an operation in the Wellington Hospital for appendicitis. He joined the Sixth Reinforcements. He saw three weeks’ service on Gallipoli, and was then invalided to Cairo. On recovering he joined the Expeditionary Force to France. He is twenty years of age.   -Lyttelton Times, 16/10/1916.

A magnificent testimony to the bravery of an Ashburton County soldier, Private Hugh Anderson, of Riverside, Wakanui, is contained in a letter received this week by the parents of Private Reg. Dalley, dated from "some where in France," October 25. The extract from the letter says:- "We were all at our place in the line, holding our position, when they took us down to another place and asked us to push the line ahead, and we did; but we lost a good few, as you will see by the lists, The "Dinks" did good work. . . . In our company two boys got the Military Cross; one was Hughie Anderson, from Wakanui, and the other was Fairbrother, of Timaru. Anderson did good work, and is the prettiest bomb-thrower I ever saw. It happened the night when the Second Brigade had their best "stunt." After we had taken the trench some of us were told off to bomb 'Fritz' out of a sap that ran like the letter T upside down. Anderson went up, and instead of going 50 yards he went up 200 yards. Then others came and blocked the sap, so that 'Fritz' could not come right down and bomb us out. Again, Anderson did wonderful work the night one company had their first 'stunt.' He threw bombs that night with wonderful judgment and accuracy, and never missed once. He was wounded at last. . . . And Ashburton has another hero of the first class." [In a casualty list published in Saturday's "Guardian," Private Anderson is reported to have been killed in action.]  -Ashburton Guardian, 18/12/1916.

 IN MEMORIAM

ANDERSON. — In loving memory of Private Hugh Anderson, beloved son of William and Ellen Anderson, Riverside, killed in action in France on October 1, 1916, aged 20 years. 

He nobly answered duty's call 

He gave his life for one and all; 

But the unknown grave is the bitterest blow,

That only those who loved him know.

— Inserted by his loving parents, sisters and brothers.  -Ashburton Guardian, 1/10/1917.