John Anderson
Rank: Company Sergeant Major
Service No: 965
Place of Birth: Glasgow
Date of Death: 15/09/1917
Theatre of Death: Home
Age: 39
Regiment/Service: Highland Light Infantry (15th Bn.)
Cemetery: Rutherglen Cemetery
Additional information: Born at Glasgow. Son of the late John and Eliza Anderson. Husband of Janet J. L. Robinson Anderson of 5 Kenilworth Place, Rutherglen.
Rutherglen Lore information: Husband of Mrs. Anderson, 5 Kenilworth Place, Rutherglen.
Soldier’s Effects information: Widow Janet Anderson.
1891 census information:
Address: 68 Dale Street, Tradeston, Glasgow.
Father: John (50) general labourer, born about 1841 in Ireland.
Mother: Elizabeth (44) born about 1847 in Ireland.
Brother: James (29) gilder, born about 1862 in Ireland.
Brother: William (15) apprentice iron bolt maker, born about 1876 in Glasgow.
Self: John (13) born about 1878 in Glasgow.
Brother: Robert (10) born about 1881 in Glasgow.
Brother: David (8) born about 1883 in Glasgow.
1911 census information:
The family are living in Rutherglen. The family comprises John 33 and Janet 29.
Newspaper transcript – Anderson.- Accidentally killed on his way home on leave from France, Coy.-Sergt.-Major John Anderson, H.L.I., aged 39, beloved husband of Janet Robinson, 5 Kenilworth Place, Farme Cross, Rutherglen, for many years with the Glasgow Corporation Tramways.
Newspaper transcript – Fatal Fall From Scotch Express. Sergeant-Major Killed While on Leave from the Front. The North Warwickshire Cornoner (Dr. C. W. Iliffe) held an inquest at Atherstone, yesterday, concerning the death of Company Sergeant-major John Anderson (40), Highland Light Infantry, of Rutherglen, Glasgow, a soldier on leave from he front, who fell from an express train on the main line of the London and North-Western Railway at Grendon, Atherstone, on Saturday night.
Thomas Kindleyside, guard on the Scotch express timed to leave Euston at 8.57 p.m., stated that the train was pulled up between Atherstone and Polesworth in consequence of an alarm given by means of the communication cord. He was informed by a passenger that a soldier had fallen to of the train, and he at once went to the nearest signal-box and ordered the line to be blocked. A message was sent to Nuneaton for a search party to be called out, and the dead body of the deceased was found near Spon Lane bridge, Grendon, between the down slow and fast lines. His theory of the accident was that the deceased, who had been lying asleep in the corridor, had got up in a dazed condition and opened the outer door in mistake for the lavatory door.
Mr T. H. Osborne, night stationmaster at Nuneaton, said when the Scotch express left there at 11.34 all the carriage doors were fastened.
Inspector Spencer (Atherstone) produced the deceased’s personal belongings, among which was a group photograph of himself and family, which he had evidently carried about with him in the trenches.
A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.
Newspaper Transcript – Soldier’s Shocking Death Near Atherstone. While Going to see Dying Father.
A sad railway fatality occurred at 11.45 on Saturday night, when a Glasgow Company-Sergeant-Major was killed on the railway near Spon-lane, Grendon.
Sergeant Major John Anderson, of the Highland Light Infantry, who was making for Rutherglen, was travelling in the train from Euston to Glasgow, to see his dying father, when, just before midnight, he came to a sorrowfully tragic and untimely end. He, with other soldiers on leave were making their way northward, and no doubt all were tired out and exhausted, what with their exertions in the trenches, and night and day travelling. Anderson left France the night before, and would have reached Glasgow between seven and eight o’clock on Sunday morning. He was travelling by the 8.30 p.m. train from Euston, due to leave Nuneaton at 11.22. It was a few minutes late on Saturday night. The other stops were Tamworth, Stafford and Crewe. The train passed through Atherstone about 11.40, and all was right then.
Fell Headlong Out of Train
Just after passing Atherstone station, Anderson got up apparently to visit the lavatory. No doubt the man was dazed and in the surrounds so strangely different from a dug-out it is thought he must have opened the carriage door in mistake for the door of the corridor of the lavatory, and fell headlong on to the metals. The speed at which the train was travelling carried the body thirty-four yards beyond the place where traces were visible of the man’s head having first struck the metals.
The Inquest:
The inquest was held at the Police Court, Atherstone, on Thursday afternoon by Dr. Iliffe.
Inspector Spencer, said he received the body from Mr. Osborne, night station-master and Nuneaton, with several letters and photographs found on the dead man., among them being a group of photographs of himself and family, which he had evidently carried about with him in the trenches.
Thomas H. Osborne, night stationmaster at Nuneaton, said the Scotch express left that place at 11.34 on Saturday nigh. There were a lot of soldiers on the train, which was a corridor throughout. All the doors were fastened when the train left.
Thomas Kindleyside, guard, said when near the Polesworth distant signal the train was pulled up, and it was reported to him that a soldier had fallen out. Witness immediately went to the signal-box, ordered the lines to be blocked and the railway search. It was 11.43 when the train arrived at Polesworth, and he understood that at 11.55 the search party started from Nuneaton. A soldier said the deceased had been lying asleep along the corridor, and got up apparently with the intention of going to the lavatory. Witness thought it quite possible that the man had opened the outer door in mistake for the lavatory.
It was customary for soldiers, worn out as they were with a long journey after their exertions at the front, to lie along the corridors in order to get sleep.
Mr F. S. Clay (Nuneaton) for the company, said the latter’s officials did all they could in the matter. They immediately had the traffic stopped, which caused a dislocation along the system for an hour and a half. The Coroner said it was lamentable that after fighting for his country as the deceased had done, he should meet an end like this.
A verdict of “Accidental death” was returned, and the jury commended the railway officials for the prompt and efficient manner in which they acted.
Headstone transcript – 965 C. Serjt. Major J Anderson Highland Light Infantry 15th September 1917 age 39. Till the day break & the shadows flee Janet Anderson.
Also commemorated on the Glasgow Corporation Tramways, Dalmarnock Depot, Memorial.