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Gerard Anderson

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Gerard Anderson
Personal information
Born15 March 1889
Twickenham, London, England
Died9 or 11 November 1914 (aged 25)
Ieper (Ypres), West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Sport
SportAthletics
Event120y/440y hurdles
ClubOxford 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

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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

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References

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  1. ^ "Gerard Anderson". Olympedia. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d ANDERSON, GERARD RUPERT LAURIE. Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
  3. ^ Barber, Richard (2004). The Story of Ludgrove. Oxford: Guidon Publishing. p. 49. ISBN 0-9543617-2-5.
  4. ^ "Athletics". Evening Star. 3 July 1910. Retrieved 1 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "AAA Championships". The Scotsman. 4 July 1910. Retrieved 1 November 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Laurie Anderson Archived 2 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Sports-Reference.com
  8. ^ G.E. Conway. "Officers of the 1st Battalion, Killed in Action, August - December 1914". Grandad's War. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  9. ^ ENGLAND LOSING ATHLETES; Many Prominent in Sporting Circles Die on Battle Fields. New York Times. 1 December 1914
  10. ^ a b c G.E. Conway. "1 st Battalion The Cheshire Regiment War Diaries (August to December 1914)" (PDF). Grandad's War. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
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