Anderson was educated at the
Royal Military College, Duntroon, and commissioned as a
lieutenant on 3 November 1914 in B Squadron,
6th Light Horse Regiment.
First World War Following the outbreak of the First World War, Anderson and his squadron sailed from
Sydney on board
HMAT (A29) Suevic on 21 December 1914, and arrived in Egypt on 1 February 1915. After serving as infantry in the
Gallipoli Campaign between May and December 1915, the light horsemen were stationed in Egypt as part of the
ANZAC Mounted Division. They played an important role in the
advance into Palestine, taking part in several major actions up until the
Armistice of 30 October 1918. In the course of the war Anderson was advanced to the acting rank of captain and then major, part of the
Australian Mounted Division. Anderson received two
Mentions in Despatches (in January 1918 and January 1919), and was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order in the
1919 New Year Honours.
Inter-war years From February 1920 Anderson served as a
general staff officer, 3rd grade (GSO3) in the
6th Military District, receiving promotion to
captain on 30 September, and subsequently serving as a staff officer in the 1st Cavalry Division from May 1921, and then in the 2nd Division from August 1922. Between December 1922 and December 1924 he served as the Brigade Major of the
1st Infantry Brigade, before attending the
Staff College, Quetta until February 1927. He then served in the
Inspector General's Branch until May 1928, then as a general staff officer in charge of Training, based at Army Headquarters until January 1932. He served as brigade major in the 3rd Cavalry Brigade between February and August 1932, finally receiving promotion to the rank of
major on 1 September 1932. He then served as a temporary staff officer in the 2nd Cavalry Division, before becoming brigade major in the 5th and then the
6th Cavalry Brigades. In November 1936 Anderson was appointed to the staff of the 1st Cavalry Division, and was promoted to
lieutenant colonel on 3 July 1938. serving with
III Corps until June 1943,
Second Army until August 1943, then at the Advanced Land HQ at
St Lucia, Queensland, until January 1944. From September 1944 until the end of the war in August 1945 he was attached as brigadier in charge of administration to the
Eighth United States Army. and from 1947 he served as
adjutant-general of the
Australian Military Forces and Second Member of the Military Board until he retired with the rank of
major general in 1951. ==Personal life==