Maurice Anderson

Lieutenant-Colonel William Maurice E Anderson MD,DSO (often referred to as Bill Anderson despite the fact he went by the name of Maurice), joined the British 6th Airborne Division in 1943, and became CO of the 195 Airlanding Field Ambulance.

On D-Day he arrived at Ranville, France by glider and was wounded by sniper fire two days later. He recovered (unlike the sniper, who was killed by a Royal Ulster Rifleman) and subsequently participated in the Ardennes offensive (the Battle of the Bulge) and Rhine crossings (Operation VARSITY). He was part of the force that liberated Belsen and shook hands with the Russians on the banks of the River Elbe. He was then invited to form the No2 Medical Commando with a view to fighting the Japanese, but this was cancelled by the subsequent bombing and surrender of Japan.