Background
Gerard Anderson was born in Twickenham, a village and a parish in Brentford district, Middlesex county in Greater London, England.
Gerard Anderson was born in Twickenham, a village and a parish in Brentford district, Middlesex county in Greater London, England.
He attended Eton and Oxford University.
On 16 July 1910 at the Crystal Palace, Anderson set the first IAAF world record in the 440-yards hurdles with a time of 56.8 seconds. Anderson"s brother Arthur Anderson was also a noted track star and competed in the 100 metres competition as well as of the 200 metres event. After graduating university, Anderson became a manager at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead.
During the First World War Anderson joined the British Army and gained a commission as a Second Lieutenant.
On 16 October 1914 he joined 3rd Battalion attd. 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment and he saw action with this unit in France and Belgium On 7 November Anderson was mortally wounded at Hooge, near Ypres.
Also killed were Captain George Bertram Pollock-Hodsoll, a football player who had played for Casuals and Corinthians and had on occasion captained the Army team, and four enlisted mentor Anderson"s unit successfully repelled a German attack and captured twenty-five enemy troops.
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. A sports biography places his death on 9 November. And records from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission place his death on 11 November.