ASC Football Team AIF England 1917-18

This was another of the photos in Sgt James Anderson's wallet when he was wounded by a bomb fragment which went through the wallet first.  Jim is not in the photo, but he was in the ASC and may have known some of the players.  James served with both the 10th ASC and the 31st ASC in 1917.  Any identifications welcome.  The photo was taken by a photographer from Sutton Veny in the winter of 1917-18.  You can see a larger version of the photo on this page. 

Jim Anderson's wallet saves the day

 Jim Anderson's wallet, above, was crammed with his notebook, letters and photographs when it slowed the entry of a bomb fragment on its way to send him to oblivion.  The fragment passed through his folded up tunic, wallet and contents and still fractured Jim's jaw and cut a blood vessel, in July 1918. Evacuated to England, his recovery was long enough to prevent him re-entering the war, and he returned to Australia on Special Leave for 1914 men in December 1918.

”[Jim] received his wound whilst asleep early in the morning.  A bomb dropped from an aircraft exploded near his tent.  A piece of metal cut through his wallet which in his tunic pocket was acting as a pillow.  The wallet and contents – photos, cards, letters etc was nearly 2 inches thick and it was pierced right through slowing the metal,  stopping it in his neck. He stood up – had lost his hearing and put his hand to his neck to discover blood squirting  out.“

Jim carried a recent photo of his wife Elsie and daughter Margaret in his wallet - Elsie received a wound to the chest!

You can see more of the contents of Jim's wallet on the Empire Called website.  Jim served with 10 ASC and later 31 ASC, landing at Gallipoli, and later in France.

Sgt James Grant Anderson's war

Driver Rupert Clive Jones, left, and Lance Corporal James Grant Anderson at the Alexandria Military Cemetery,  c 1915.

James Grant Anderson, on the right, a farmer of Essendon and Keilor, married Elsie Dixon in October 1913.  In September 1914 James stepped forward to do what he considered to be his duty as a citizen, and in October 1914 he left his expectant bride to do his earnest best in service of the Empire for the next four years.

Lovingly kept in the family, Jim's photos, letters, telegrams and souvenirs tell the story of his service, of his eventual longing to be home, and his attempts to be a father to the daughter he had yet to meet.   Three of Jim's brothers were also on active service.  Gordon Anderson's photo albums were posted about a few weeks ago.

Gordon Anderson 1917 albums, 10th ASC

 

 

I have just loaded up two albums of photos taken by Gordon Roy Anderson of Buckley Park, Essendon.  At that time Buckley Park referred to a farm on the west side of Hoffmans Rd, Essendon, in an area that is now Niddrie.   Gordon arrived in England at the end of 1916 and was probably claimed by his older brother, James Grant Anderson, to serve with him in the 10th Army Service Corps.  A third brother, Donald Clarke Anderson, was also in this unit, though is not included in these albums.  During 1917 Gordon and Jim were in training camps on the Salisbury Plains, the photos being mainly taken at Codford and Windmill Hill.  If your relative served with 10th ASC in 1917, you might find him in one of the photos.

Ammunition mules, 1917

This photo was taken by Gordon Anderson of the 10th ASC in Codford, England, in 1917.  If anyone thinks they might be able to identify a relative in that unit from a higher res photo, please let me know.