Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Colonel A. M. Anderson, Madras Pioneers, who commanded the 61st Pioneers at the battle of Tanga in November 1914

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1889-92 (Lieutt. A. M. Anderson 19th Madras Infy.) unit officially corrected; India General Service 1895-1902, 3 clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Samana 1897, Tirah 1897-98 (Lieut. A. M. Anderson. 21st Madras Pioneers); 1914-15 Star (Lt. Col. A. M. Anderson. 81/Pioneers.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col. A. M. Anderson.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Lt. Col. A. M. Anderson, I.A.) official corrections to rank, initials and unit, court mounted on original wearing bar, good very fine or better (6) £600-£700

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Peter Duckers.

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Allan Meyrick Anderson was born on 13 August 1865, and was first commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders on 4 May 1887. He transferred to the Indian Army as Lieutenant in April 1889 and was posted to the 19th Madras Infantry at Fort Dufferin in December of that year. He served in Burma in 1890 on the Tonhon Expedition, and in 1891-92 with the North Eastern Column, as Staff Officer to Captain T. A. H. Davies, Devons, commanding the column. He was mentioned in the report in G.G.O. 1015 of 1892 for these services (Medal with clasp). He saw further service in Burma during 1893-94, having transferred to the 21st Madras Pioneers in October 1893, as Wing Officer and later Adjutant. On the North West Frontier 1897-98, he took part in the operations between Kohat and Parachinar on the Samana Ridge and in the Kurram Valley, in August and September 1897 (Medal with two clasps); and in the Tirah Expedition 1897-98, at the actions of Chagru Kotal and Dargai, 20 October, the march down the Bara Valley, and operations at Waran and in the Bazar Valley, 25-30 December 1897 (Clasp). He was promoted to Captain in May 1898.

Anderson was promoted to Major and 2nd in command of the 81st (renumbered from 21st in 1903) Pioneers in May 1905, and to Lieutenant-Colonel in May 1913. He was attached, as 2nd in command, to the 61st Pioneers on the outbreak of war in August 1914. In October 1914 the regiment embarked in the S.S. Jeddah as part of Indian Expeditionary Force “B”, a decision having been made by the British to capture German East Africa with the important sea port of Tanga as its first objective. The attack on Tanga took place on the 3rd and 4th November 1914. The Germans, outnumbered eight to one, launched a counter attack that ultimately forced the British to retreat to their boats. As well as being a humiliation for the British, their defeat and hasty retreat left the German troops with an invaluable haul of captured British guns and supplies. After the fighting on the 4th, a report by Colonel G. F. Batten concluded by saying: ‘I should like to bring to notice the excellent work done this day by Lt. Col. A. M. Anderson and Captain A. F. Hamilton, Adjutant: in fact, in my opinion, all the British officers displayed great courage and did most excellent work.’ This was a small consolation for what had been a humiliating defeat for the British at the start of the long-running campaign in German East Africa.

Anderson embarked for India in February 1915 to retake command of the 81st Pioneers. In August 1915 he took part in operations against the Mohmands and Swatis on the North West Frontier. In March to May 1918, he took part in operations against the Marris. Having been warned to prepare for service in Egypt, the 81st were diverted to Bushire for operations in Persia and the Persian Gulf, in June and July 1918. Their role was principally the pacification of the Bushire hinterland and the establishment of a base at Dalaki, in addition to participating in operations to aid the forces in Shiraz. For the campaign in Afghanistan in 1919, the 81st Pioneers joined the Baluchistan Field Force on 2 July from Delhi. At the conclusion of the campaign they were sent to Kohat. Anderson retired with the honorary rank of Colonel on 23 November 1919.