A Collection of Awards to the Scinde Rifles

Pair: Lieutenant-Colonel B. E. Anderson, D.S.O., 59th Scinde Rifles, who was decorated for operations in Mesopotamia in 1916, and otherwise several times mentioned in despatches - the first such distinction for leading a storming party at Kharga in May 1908 and another for his gallantry during bitter fighting in France in 1914, where he was wounded by a sniper

India General Service 1908-35, 3 clasps, North West Frontier 1908, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919, Waziristan 1921-24, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieutt. B. E. Anderson, 59th Rifles (F.F.)); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (Major B. E. Anderson), the first with officially re-engraved rank, contact marks and polished, nearly very fine or better (2) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Scinde Rifles.

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Barton Edward Anderson was born in September 1881, the son of Beresford Anderson, former Chief Engineer of the Madras Railways.

Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in May 1901, he joined the 59th Scinde Rifles in the following year and first witnessed active service in the Zakka Khel Expedition in 1908, when he was present in the actions at Matta and Kharga (Medal & clasp). And he was mentioned in despatches for his gallantry at the latter action on 24 May (London Gazette 14 August 1908), Frontier and Overseas Expeditions from India stating:

‘The attack was most successful, the 22nd Punjabis killing one man and the 59th Rifles led by Lieutenant-Colonel Carruthers, Captain Murray and Lieutenant Anderson surrounding the remainder. Lieutenant Andersen led the storming party and was himself the first man into the buildings. All the enemy, five in number, were either shot or bayoneted with the loss of only one Sepoy, 59th Rifles, wounded.’

Advanced to Captain and appointed Adjutant in early 1910, Anderson next saw action out in France, where he arrived in late September 1914. A glimpse of him in action at the head of No. 4 Company at Givenchy may be found in the regimental history:

‘On the left Captain Anderson with the P.Ms got into the German trenches, where Germans, Gurkhas, and Highland Light Infantry were discovered all mixed up. Captain Anderson was fired at point-blank range and hit on his revolver which was in the holster on his belt, and was knocked out for a time being, and taken back by some Highland Light Infantrymen ... Lieutenant Atkinson, who was with No. 4 Company, was killed lying on the German parapet firing down into the trench with his revolver. Captain Anderson saw him there, and as soon as it was daylight his body was clearly to be seen some 250 yards away lying on the parapet, as though he was still looking into the German trench.’

Anderson was himself wounded at Rue de Bois in the afternoon of 22 January 1915, when he was hit in the knee by a sniper, a wound that probably saved his life - for by the time he rejoined the regiment at Neuve Chapelle on 12 March, four fellow officers had been killed and the remainder wounded.

He was given the Brevet of Major and mentioned in French’s despatch of 20 November 1914 (London Gazette 17 February 1915 refers).

Next actively engaged out in Mesopotamia, he was present at the battle of Tekrit, on which occasion he made a reconnaissance that resulted in a successful artillery barrage. He was awarded the D.S.O. ‘For distinguished services in the Field in Mesopotamia, with effect from 3 June 1916 inclusive’ (London Gazette 22 December 1916 refers), in addition to winning another brace of “mentions” (London Gazettes 19 October 1916 and 5 June 1919 refer), the latter for good work in the final advance in Palestine.

Having then seen action in the Third Afghan War (clasp), Anderson was attached to the 56th Rifles during subsequent operations in Waziristan (clasp), following which he was actively employed with the Razmak Field Force during the rebellion in Iraq in 1920 (Medal & clasp - the only single ‘Iraq’ clasp to an officer of the 59th Rifles).

Advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel in February 1925, in which year he was appointed Commandant of his regiment, he died suddenly at Delhi in May 1927; sold with a file of research.