Gerard Anderson
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 March 1889 Twickenham, London, England |
| Died | 7, 9 or 11 November 1914 (aged 25) Ieper (Ypres), West-Vlaanderen, Belgium |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | 120y/440y hurdles |
| Club | Oxford University AC |
Gerard Rupert Laurie Anderson (15 March 1889 – November 1914), universally known as "Twiggy", was a British hurdler who participated in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics and held the world record for the 440-yards hurdles.[1]
Biography
[edit | edit source]Twiggy Anderson was born in Twickenham, then a village and parish in Brentford district, Middlesex county in Greater London, England.[2] His parents were the Rev David Anderson, an Anglican prebendary, and Blanche Alice May Anderson (née Laurie). He had two sisters, Gladys and Mona Constance Amabel, and a brother, Arthur Emilius David.[2] He attended Ludgrove School, Eton and Trinity College, Oxford.[3] On graduating he was elected to a Fellowship of All Souls College.
He was the AAA champion at the 120-yards hurdles at the 1910 AAA Championships.[4][5] and the 1912 AAA Championships.[6][7] On 16 July 1910 at the Crystal Palace, Anderson set the IAAF world record in the 440-yards hurdles with a time of 56.8 seconds.[7][8] Anderson took part in the Stockholm Olympics in 1912. He was favoured to win a medal but had an accident during the Men's 110 metres and was disqualified. Anderson's brother Arthur was also a noted track star, competing in the 100 metres competition and the 200 metres event. After graduating university, Anderson became a manager at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead.[7]
During the First World War, Anderson joined the British Army. He gained a commission as a Second Lieutenant.[7] On 16 October 1914, he joined the 3rd Battalion, attached to the 1st Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment. He saw action with this unit in France and Belgium[2][7][9][10] On 7 November, Anderson was shot and mortally wounded in the heart, aged 25, at Hooge, near Ypres. Also killed were Captain George Bertram Pollock-Hodsoll, a footballer who had played for Casuals and Corinthians (who had, on occasion, captained the Army team), and four enlisted men. Anderson's unit successfully repelled a German attack and captured twenty-five enemy troops.[10] There are differing accounts of Anderson's death from his wounds. Battalion records state he was killed on 7 November, the day he was wounded.[10] A sports biography places his death on 9 November[7] and records from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission place his death on 11 November.[2]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
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- ^ a b c d ANDERSON, GERARD RUPERT LAURIE. Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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- ^ a b c d e f Laurie Anderson Archived 2 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Sports-Reference.com
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ ENGLAND LOSING ATHLETES; Many Prominent in Sporting Circles Die on Battle Fields. New York Times. 1 December 1914
- ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
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- Gerard Anderson at Find a GraveLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
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- 1889 births
- 1914 deaths
- British men hurdlers
- British military personnel killed in World War I
- People from Brentford
- Athletes from the London Borough of Hounslow
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1912 Summer Olympics
- Olympic athletes for Great Britain
- People from Twickenham
- Athletes from the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
- People educated at Eton College
- Alumni of Trinity College, Oxford
- Fellows of All Souls College, Oxford
- People educated at Ludgrove School
- Military personnel from the London Borough of Hounslow
- Military personnel from the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
- English men hurdlers