Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

ANDERSON Claude Leonard MB BS

1909-2008

Claude Leonard Anderson was born in Curramulka, SA, on 26th December 1909. He was the son of Ernest James Anderson and Edith Alice, nee Boundy. Anderson suffered from osteomyelitis of the left femur as a child leaving a scar on the back of his thigh. Anderson was educated at Prince Alfred College, and he studied Medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1933. He went to WA to complete his resident year, and was an RMO at the Royal Perth Hospital from 1933 to 1934.

Anderson Joined the AAMC CMF as a captain, on 12th December 1939. He was allotted to the Medical Services in Western Command on 1st Aug 1940 and was sent to Mebriele No. 1 Camp as RMO. He enlisted in the 2/AIF, in Perth, WA, on 2nd December 1940 and gave his home address as 77 Stirling Highway, Nedlands, WA.  He was appointed as RMO to the 2/4 Machinegun Bn. He gave his next of kin as his mother who was living at 307 Goodwood Road, King's Park, SA. Following pre-embarkation leave in June 1941, he embarked on the Duntroon for 4MD, Adelaide. From 1st Aug 1941, he was assigned to 4MD where there was a concentration of troops preparing for deployment. He returned by train to 7 MD, WA, leaving on 14th October 1941. Anderson embarked for service, in Singapore, on 30th December 1941, via Darwin and Batavia, disembarking on 24th January 1942. The Japanese took him prisoner on the 15th February 1942, and allotted to “4” Force. Anderson was reported as missing in April 1942, but that changed to a prisoner of war on 4th October 1943.  Interred in a Thailand Camp, he was reported as alive in ‘Siam’ on 22nd August 1945. He returned to Australia and disembarked, in Fremantle, from the Moreton Bay on 24th October 1945.  Transferred from Perth to Adelaide by plane, on 31st October 1945, he was admitted to 110 AGH with malaria and discharged from hospital on 3rd January 1946. He was discharged from the AIF on 4th January 1946 and placed on Reserve of Officers of the AAMC in Western Command. He was Mentioned in Despatches, on 22nd April 1947, for services rendered during his imprisonment. He retired from the Reserve of Officers on 3rd January 1962.

He married Mrs Florence Neilena Turner, nee McGilp, in November 1945, at Scots Church Adelaide. She was the widow of Surgeon Lieutenant Alister Turner, who although serving with the RN, undertook locum tenens appointments in Morgan and Clare, SA.  Turner returned to England, with his wife and child, and was killed at Dunkirk. Florence, and her son returned to Australia. Florence was a daughter of John Neil McGilp and Maude Constance, nee Lindsay. Neil was a renowned and respected pastoralist and ornithologist. Florence was the sister of Mary Barker who married Captain John Barker, a SA anaesthetist who served in WW2. After their wedding, Anderson and his wife returned to Nedlands, WA where Anderson resumed his medical practice. They hosted many medical practitioners who were attending a congress, in Perth, in 1948, including Florence’s brother-in-law and sister Mary. Claude Leonard Anderson died on 7th April 2008, in Perth, WA; survived by his wife and her son, Bruce McGilp. Florence died in 1991.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2. 

Swain, Jelly, Verco, Summers. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2019. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD