Jump to content

Thomas Victor Anderson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Victor Anderson
Born(1881-07-04)July 4, 1881
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
DiedNovember 8, 1972(1972-11-08) (aged 91)
AllegianceCanada
Service / branchCanadian Army
Years of service1900 - 1943
RankMajor-General
CommandsChief of the General Staff
Battles / warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsDistinguished Service Order
Canadian Forces' Decoration

Major-General Thomas Victor Anderson DSO, CD (July 4, 1881 – November 8, 1972) was a Canadian soldier and Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Canadian Army from 21 November 1938 until 6 July 1940.

Education

[edit]

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Thomas Victor Anderson graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario in 1900, student # 433. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1905 and promoted to captain in 1910 and to major in 1913.

Military career

[edit]

Anderson served in World War I as Commander Royal Canadian Engineers for 3rd Canadian Division on the Western Front.[1] He was mentioned in despatches four times and awarded the DSO in 1918.[2] He was further awarded with the Russian Order of St Anne, 2nd class, with swords,[3] the 1914–1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, finishing the war as a brevet colonel.[4]

After the war he became an instructor at the Royal Military College of Canada.[1] In 1925 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and appointed Director of Military Training & Staff Duties at National Defence Headquarters.[1] Promoted to colonel in 1929, he became the District Officer Commanding 10th Military District and in 1933 he was made District Officer Commanding 2nd Military District.[1] His next post was as Quartermaster-General in 1935.[1] He was promoted to major-general in 1936 and selected to be Chief of the General Staff in 1938.[1]

He served, during World War II, as the Inspector-General of Central Canada from 1940[5] and retired in 1943.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Thomas Victor Anderson at Generals.dk
  2. ^ "No. 30450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1917. p. 28.
  3. ^ "No. 30476". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 January 1918. p. 828.
  4. ^ Unit histories
  5. ^ Preston "Canada's RMC: A History of the Royal Military College"

Further reading

[edit]
  • 4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC – A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
  • H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876–1918. Volume II: 1919–1984. Royal Military College. [Kingston]. The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of the General Staff
1938–1940
Succeeded by