Andersen, Anton

No.6192 Private Anton Alexander Andersen – 12^th Field Ambulance & Australian Pay Corps

Anton Andersen was born in Fremantle in 1892 to Anton Wilhelm & Elizabeth Rachel Andersen. He attended St Patrick’s school in Fremantle before attending Christian Brother’s College in Perth. After leaving school he took up work as a Clerk, while he also had an interest in the military as he served in the Western Australian Infantry Regiment as a bugler for a year in 1908.

Anton Lived at Glyde Street East Fremantle though prior to the war he was living with his wife Margaret in Victoria Park WA.

He enlisted into the AIF on the 26^th July 1915 where he was found to be 5 feet 10 inches in height; weighed 174 lbs; had a chest measurement of 35 & ¾ inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes & brown hair. His Religious denomination was Roman Catholic.

After enlistment he was assigned to medical units in the Depot Companies before being assigned to the 11^th Reinforcements to the 4^th Field Ambulance. This reinforcement group left Fremantle on the A35 Benalla on the 1^st November 1915. He didn’t spend long in Egypt as after their arrival his group was sent on to Gallipoli, arriving there on the 9^th December 1915. The 4^th Field Ambulance were then in the region of Waldon Grove. 11 days after their arrival Gallipoli was evacuated, so his time at Anzac was not long. The 4^th Field Ambulance was sent back to Egypt where they continued to support the 4^th Infantry Brigade.

Pictured below (from left to right, Ernie Aberle MM - standing, Ken McKenzie Croix de Guerre - sitting, Ray Davis - sitting and Anton Andersen - standing)

In March 1916 the AIF expanded with the result that half of the 4^th Field Ambulance went on to form the 12^th Field Ambulance. Anton was one of the men sent to form the 12^th. After a few more months training in the Egyptian desert, the 12^th Field Ambulance embarked for France on the 4^th June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on the 11^th June.

After a short stint in the line at Armentieres, the 12^th Field Ambulance was involved at Pozieres for a much longer period than the soldiers in the infantry. The field ambulance men went into the line to help evacuate the Australian casualties from late July and continued to do so until the first week of September. Casualties were heavy though Anton emerged unscathed. He was appointed Lance Corporal on the 19^th October 1916.

Due to his clerical abilities he was attached to 12^th Brigade headquarters, then 4^th Divisional HQ as a pay clerk. On the 13^th April 1917 he was formally attached to the Australian Army Pay Corps and officially struck off strength of the 12^th Field Ambulance. On 19^th August 1917 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Though now officially with the AAPC he was assigned to the 12^th Brigade AIF so he was able still to catch up with all his old mates. He took leave to the United Kingdom in March 1918. On the 1^st of May 1918 Anton was detached as Pay Sergeant with the 4^th Division Assistant Medical Services.

On the 17^th June 1918 Anton visited his old mates of the 12^th Field Ambulance at the front and on his return was badly hit by shrapnel from a German shell, receiving many wounds and also compound fractures of his left leg. Despite being treated at the Field Ambulance, Anton’s wounds were severe and he died the same day.

Sgt Anton Andersen was buried at Allonville Communal Cemetery Plot C.1

In the book 'In My Father's Words' which is the diaries from Andy's mate Ray Davis, there was mention made that when Andy had been killed in action Ray went and purchased a cross for his grave, though in the 1920's this cross would have been replaced with the Imperial War Graves headstone