Kenneth Arthur Noel Anderson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
General Sir Kenneth Arthur Noel Anderson, KCB, MC (December 25, 1891- April 29, 1959) was a British Army officer in both the First and Second World Wars. He is mainly remembered as the commander of the First Army during Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of Tunisia. He had an outwardly reserved character and did not court popularity either with his superiors or with the public. Eisenhower wrote that he was "blunt, at times to the point of rudeness". In consequence he is less well known than many of his contemporaries.
Anderson was educated at Charterhouse School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before being commissioned in the Seaforth Highlanders in 1911. His First World War service was in France, where he served with distinction. He was awarded the Military Cross for bravery in action and was wounded at the Battle of the Somme on the opening day, 1 July 1916. He took eighteen months to recover from the wounds he received, before rejoining his regiment in Palestine in time to celebrate victory.
In 1918 Anderson married Kathleen Gamble. She was the only daughter of Sir Reginald Arthur Gamble and his wife Jennie. Her brother was (Acting) Captain Ralph Dominic Gamble MC, Coldstream Guards
His inter-war career was active, he served as adjutant to the Scottish Horse from 1920-24 and graduated from the Staff College, Camberley, in 1928. At the age of 38 he commanded the second battalion of the Seaforths in the North West Frontier, for which he was mentioned in dispatches. Anderson was appointed to command 11th Brigade in 1938 which he trained hard, despite inadequate equipment.
It was as 11th Brigade commander that Anderson saw service with the British Expeditionary Force, part of Montgomery's 3rd Division. When Montgomery was promoted to command II Corps during the evacuation from France Anderson took command of the division and was promoted to major general, and awarded the C.B.
Anderson was the first receipient of the Legion of Merit in the grade of Chief Commander, for his service as the British Army commander in North Africa; he received his award on June 18, 1943.[1]
On his return to Britain he commanded 1st Division before being promoted to lieutenant general in 1941 and given VI Corps then II Corps to command. He was given the First Army command during Operation Torch in November 1942 because the first two choices, Harold Alexander and Edmond Schreiber, were unavailable. Alexander had been appointed Commander-in-Chief Middle East and Schreiber suffered from poor health. Anderson's multi-national force encountered problems achieving their objectives and was halted before Tunis. The army suffered a serious reverse at the Kasserine Pass and Anderson's generalship was questioned, particularly by the American commanders, including Patton. Alexander wanted to replace him with Horrocks but Anderson managed to hold on to his position and performed well during the closing stages of the operation, in May 1943, when his patience and dedication was rewarded with a complete victory. He was then advanced to K.C.B. Eisenhower, his superior officer, later said of him that he was "a gallant Scot, devoted to duty and absolutely selfless" and that he had "real respect for his fighting heart".
On his return to Britain from Tunis he was initially given command of Second Army during the preparations for D-Day. But in January 1944 he was replaced by Dempsey and was given Eastern Command, a downward move. His career as a field commander was over and his last purely military appointment was as G.O.C.-in-C. East Africa Command.
After the war he was military commander-in-chief and Governor of Gibraltar, where his most notable achievements were to build new houses to relieve the poor housing conditions, and the constitutional changes which established a Legistative Council. He retired as governor in 1952 and lived mainly in the south of France. His last years were filled with tragedy: his only son died in action in Malaya and his daughter also died after a long illness. Anderson died of pneumonia in Gibraltar in 1959.
[edit] References
- Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War, Nick Smart. ISBN 1-84415-049-6.
- The Times obituary (30 April 1959).
- Crusade in Europe, Dwight D. Eisenhower. ISBN 0-8018-5668-X.
- The Plain Cook and the Great Showman, Gregory Blaxland, Kimber, 1977. ISBN 0-7183-0185-4
