Early Life.
Arthur Albert Anderson was born on the 5th May 1887 in Leytonstone, Essex.
His father, Henry Anderson a plasterer, married his mother Mary Ann Turner on the 7th November 1881 at Marylebone. They had ten children of whom six tragically died as infants before the 1911 census.
The children were Esther born 1882 at Edmonton, Nellie born and died in 1884 at Edmonton, Ernest born and died in 1885 at Edmonton, Arthur Albert, Tottie Pauline born in 1889 at Barnet, Daisy and Violet both born and died in 1890 at Barnet, Nellie born in 1892 at Barnet and lastly Emma and Mary both born and died in 1894 at Barnet.
During the 1891 census the family were living at 21, High Street, Barnet but by the time of the 1901 census they had moved to 15, Sebright Road, Barnet. They were still living there in 1911. However, before the 1911 census Arthur, who like his father had been working as a plasterer, enlisted in the Royal Engineers.
Early Army Service.
His Army Service Record no longer exists but from other sources we know he enlisted on 27th August 1905 as Sapper 14838 in the Royal Engineers. He signed up for short service of 3 years in the Colours and 9 years in the Reserves. He went into the Army Reserve on 27th August 1908.
Working At The Asylum.
We don’t know what Arthur did on leaving the Army but by the 1911 census he was employed as an Asylum Attendant and living in an Attendant’s Room at the Hertfordshire County Asylum, Hill End, St Albans. Also employed and living there at that time was his future wife Louisa Fossey, an Asylum Nurse, and another Asylum Attendant, Stanley Ralph Appleby, who was to become Constable 101.
Police Service.
Arthur’s Police Service Record has not survived but from other sources we know he started his Probationer Training at R Division, Headquarters on 28th May 1912. He was Appointed on the 25th September 1912 and posted to E Division at Letchworth as Constable 284.
We have no records of Arthur’s Police Service until the following was published. General Order 118 of 21st July 1915 is a list of 96 officers which included the Chief Constable, 43 Constables who were Army reservists who were recalled and 50 Constables and 2 Sergeants who volunteered for military service. Arthur is shown as PC 284 Anderson A.A. E Division recalled to 57th Company, Royal Engineers on 4th August 1914. From the newspaper article below it is obvious that Arthur had been transferred from E Division Letchworth to E Division Royston.
Army Service During The War.
His Medal Roll Index Card and Medal Rolls show he was Sapper 14838 in the 12th Forward Company, Royal Engineers and landed in France on 8th September 1914.
Published in the Herts & Cambs Reporter & Royston Crow on Friday 15th January 1915 under the headline:
POLICE CONSTABLE ANDERSON IS ENJOYING HIMSELF.
Sapper A. A. Anderson, Royal Engineers, who was police constable stationed at Royston at the outbreak of the war, has written several interesting letters which have published in this Paper. Writing again to a friend in Royston, he says : “We have changed our billet since I last wrote to you. We are in a queer place now, but I cannot tell you where it is. If I could you would laugh. We are very comfortable. We each have nice soft bed to sleep on and a pillow, quite a luxury in war time I can tell you. We are very near the German lines, and they send us a few “Jack Johnson’s” every day just to let us know they are still there. We have been on a dangerous job this last week, and had it not been for a very queer incident, I might have a very different tale to tell. No doubt you read in the Papers that some of our chaps, and the Saxons, made a truce on Christmas Eve. It is perfectly true. They promised that if our chaps would not fire at them they would not fire on us. The trenches at this particular spot were about 200 yards apart, and on Christmas Day our fellows went out of their trenches and met them half way and exchanged fags, tobacco and souvenirs. We have been up there several times working all night, and there has not been a shot fired by either side. I fully expect we shall catch it hot one of these nights. On New Year’s night we were working right on top of the trenches and if they had put one volley into us, there would not have been many of us left to tell the tale. The men here are up to their knees in mud and water. I would give quids for a nice dry pair of boots and socks. We get plenty of socks and clothing, but can’t keep them dry five minutes, but we have one consolation, the ”Allemand” is the same. Every place bears marks of shell fire. It is not a very nice feeling to go to bed expecting a German shell to wake you up in the middle of the night. I had a great treat this morning I raked off a nice hot bath and change of clothing. You cannot realise what that means to us. There is a big Asylum not many miles from here. When the German’s went through the place they turned the patients loose and drove them out at the point of the bayonet. How is the old team getting on. I still live In hope of getting one of those medals at Easter. What a hope I’ve got of being home at Easter. I had a game of footer on Christmas morning just to keep my hand in, and went to kip for the rest of the day. That is how I spent my Christmas”.
Marriage.
The circumstances of his being back in England are not known but during the last quarter of 1915 Arthur married Louisa Fossey at St Albans. They later had two daughters, Marie F. born in 1920 at Letchworth and Beryl Louisa born in 1923 also in Letchworth.
On the 4th March 1916 Sapper 14838 A. Anderson Royal Engineers was listed as “Wounded” on the Casualty List issued by the War Office. He was entitled to wear a “Wound Stripe” as authorised under Army Order 204 of the 6th July 1916. The terms of this award being met by him being named in this list.
He was also awarded the 1914 Star, The Victory and British War medals. On 11th October 1928 he applied for his Clasp and Roses’
The clasp was instituted in 1919, as published in Army Order no. 361 of 16 October 1919. The clasp, together with two small silver roses, was awarded to those who had served under fire or who had operated within range of enemy mobile artillery in France or Belgium during the period between 5 August and 22 November 1914. Approximately 145,000 clasps were awarded. The exact number is unknown since the clasp had to be claimed personally by the recipients, of whom a large number had either died before 1919 or neglected to apply. When the ribbon bar alone was worn, recipients of the clasp to the medal wore a small silver rosette button on the ribbon bar.
There is a reference on the Medal Roll Index Card stating that he was the Chairman of The Old Contemptibles Association.
Resuming His Police Service.
General Order 94 of 13th April 1919 announced:
Re-appointment to Force.
Reference Orders 116/1915 and 36/1918.
The undermentioned having been released from H.M. Army, are re-appointed to the Force with effect from the date shown, inclusive:
PC 290 Pestell P.G. A Div. Hoddesdon from 17/04/1919 £2/8/0
PC 34 Bolter F.L. B Div. Albury from 10/04/1919 £2/11/0
PC 54 Webb H.S. C Div. Watford from 10/04/1919 £2/8/0
PC 316 Brown A.S. D Div. Gt. Berkhamstead from 08/05/1919 £2/8/0
PC 284 Anderson A.A. E Div. Letchworth from 24/04/1919 £2/9/0
PC 56 Thompson H.W. E Div. Hitchin from 10/04/1919 £2/3/0
PC 321 Reid N.J. G Div. Harpenden from 17/04/1919 £2/7/0
Each officer must be formally re-attested. Superintendents concerned will report when this has been done showing, viz: Date and place of attestation and before whom taken.
General Order 213 of 17th October 1919 stated that PC 284 Anderson A.A. E Division would receive an increased rate of pay from £4/2/0 to £4/4/0 from 25th September 1919.
The 1921 census shows that Police Constable Arthur Albert Anderson, his wife Louisa and daughter Marie were all living at 26, Hillshot, Letchworth. The Electoral Rolls between 1920 and 1926 show that they were living at the same address throughout that period.
General Order 171 of 19th October 1921 and General Order 128 of 5th October 1922 announced that PC 284 Anderson A.A. of E Division would receive an increased rate of pay from £4/6/0 to £4/8/0 per week from 25th September 1921 and from £4/8/0 to £4/10/0 per week from 25th September 1922 respectively.
General Order 82 of 14th June 1926 stated that on the 24th June 1926 Police Constable 284 Anderson of E Division stationed at Letchworth would transfer to D Division and be stationed at Redbourn and occupy the house vacated by ex-Constable Maxson.
The Electoral Rolls between 1927 and 1930 show that Arthur Albert and Louisa Anderson are recorded as living Redbourn Police Station.
Little more is known about Arthur’s Police Service other than two very minor disciplinary transgressions. Firstly, on the 30th October 1928 the Chief Constable fined PC 284 Anderson A.A. D Division one days’ pay after he was 2 ½ hours late parading for duty at Redbourn on the night of 24/25th October. Then on 18th June 1930 the Chief Constable admonished PC 284 Anderson A.A. D Division after he was uncivil to a member of the public at Redbourn.
Providing he did not resign or leave earlier with a medical pension then on 25th September 1937 Arthur Albert Anderson could have retired on pension having completed the necessary 25 years.
Life After The Police.
Shown in the 1939 Register as living at 40, Hazelbury Avenue, Abbots Langley are Arthur A. Anderson, a Jobbing Gardener, and Louisa Anderson and their daughters.
Arthur Anderson died on the 16th February 1959 he was buried on the 19th February in the Parish of Langleybury.
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