Charles Groves Wright Anderson
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Charles Anderson VC, MC |
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 |
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| Member of the Australian Parliament for Hume |
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In office 10 December 1949 – 28 April 1951 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Fuller |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Fuller |
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In office 10 December 1955 – 9 December 1961 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Fuller |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Fuller |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
12 February 1897 Cape Town, South Africa |
| Died | 11 November 1988 (aged 91) Red Hill, Australian Capital Territory |
| Political party | Australian Country Party |
| Occupation | Farmer, soldier, politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom Australia |
| Service/branch |
British Army (1914–19) Australian Army (1939–45) |
| Years of service | 1914–19 1939–45 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Commands | 2/19th Battalion (1941–42) |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Victoria Cross Military Cross |
Charles Groves Wright Anderson, VC, MC (12 February 1897 – 11 November 1988) was a South African-born soldier, Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, a member of the Australian House of Representatives, and a farmer. After growing up in Africa and being schooled in England, Anderson served as an officer during the East African campaign against the Germans during the First World War, reaching the rank of captain and being awarded the Military Cross.
After the war, Anderson settled as a farmer in Kenya. In the early 1930s, he married an Australian woman and later moved to Australia, where he became a grazier. In 1939, he joined the Militia, Australia's part-time military force, before volunteering for overseas service after the outbreak of the Second World War. In early 1941, he was deployed to Malaya as part of the 8th Division, where he rose to command the 2/19th Battalion against the Japanese following their invasion of Malaya in December of that year. For his actions around Muar in January 1942, he was awarded the Victoria Cross before being captured at the end of the fighting on Singapore. He spent over three years in Japanese captivity, before being released at the end of the war.
In the post war years, Anderson returned to farming and served as a federal parliamentarian, representing the Division of Hume twice between 1949 and 1961, before retiring. He died in Canberra at the age of 91.
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