Not Forgotten. 4009 Private Clarence Charles Anderson, 32 Brigade AIF

Private Clarence Charles Anderson, a farmer, was born in Diapur in Victoria, the son of Charles Stephen
Anderson of Dowerin. On 13 April 1916 Private Anderson enlisted at the age of 25 in Perth along with
his brother James and his cousin Leslie, all three travelling together from Dowerin and all three
Andersons were placed in the 32nd Battalion, 10th Reinforcements. Clarence had previously served 5
months in the Dowerin Light Horse. Private Anderson embarked from Fremantle on HMAT A16 Port
Melbourne on 28 October 1916, arriving in England on 28 December. Between 30 January and 24 March
1917 Private Anderson was in Fovant Military Hospital in Hurdcott, England with an infected larynx.
Hurdcott Camp near the village of Fovant in Salisbury was taken over by the A.I.F. and a series of military
badges was carved into the chalk hillside. Private Anderson proceeded to France on 7 July 1917 and was
taken on strength with the 32nd Battalion on 2 August 1917.

The 32nd Battalion was raised as part of the 8th Brigade at Mitcham, on the outskirts of Adelaide, on 9
August 1915. Only two companies were raised from South Australian enlistees - another two were
formed in Western Australia and joined the battalion at the end of September. In early 1917, the
German Army withdrew to the Hindenburg Line allowing the British front to be advanced and the 32nd
Battalion participated in the follow-up operations. The only large battle in 1917 in which the 32nd
Battalion played a major role was Polygon Wood, fought in the Ypres sector in Belgium on 26
September. Private Anderson was detached to the 8th Brigade Head Quarters as a Gunner between 25
September and 16 December 1917.

The Battle Honour of Ancre was awarded to the battalion to acknowledge participation in the defensive
operations mounted in the face of the first of the German "Spring Offensives", in the Picardy sector in
April 1918, specifically to acknowledge involvement in the confused fighting along the line of the River
Ancre, which helped slow the German advance on Amiens. Clarence Anderson was killed in action in
France on 24 June 1918 and was buried that day by Sergeant A.O. Sullivan in the Vaux-Sur-Somme
Communal Cemetery Extension, east of Corbie. When the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery was
established Private Anderson was re-interred there. Private Clarence Anderson had a brother Private
James William Anderson (service number 4011), also in 32nd Battalion, who returned to Australia on 1
June 1919. There were also three sisters who were left the residue of Clarence Anderson’s estate, the
real estate going to his father.

Private Anderson was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.