H/Captain John M. Anderson, Chaplain of the Highland Light Infantry of Canada, talking with Private Lawrence Herbert in his trench near Caen, France, 15 July 1944.
Anderson, John MacMorran
John MacMoran “Jock” Anderson (1913-2004) was born in Edinburgh. He studied theology at Knox College, Toronto, and tried to enlist as an infantryman with the 48th Highlanders in 1939. The recruiters turned him down and he continued his studies, becoming a minister in Port Elgin, Ontario.
Jock landed at Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, was with them throughout the conflict and came home with them. His experiences as are recounted by Brigadier General Denis and Shelagh Whitaker (RMC 1933) in `Victory at Falaise` and `Tug of War`. However, they were well accounted for by himself during a Remembrance Day service in 2020.
Anderson went on to serve as a Protestant Chaplain at the Saint Martin Protestant Chapel at RMCC in Kingston from 1955-1958. After RMC, he was posted to London in 1958. He was later posted to Ortona Barracks in Oakville where he remained until his retirement in 1967. He purchased `Worn Doorstep` a historic landmark, in 1966 and renovated it extensively as a family home. After leaving the military, he worked for a few years as a probation officer and also became very involved with a local church.
Military Cross (MC)
Citation:
“On 5 march 1945 H/Caplain John MacMorran Anderson, Canadian Chaplain Service, was padre attached to the Highland Light Infantry of Canada. The regiment launched an attack from Balberger Wald over a mile of open ground, along a forward slope. “C” and “D” Companies were pinned down by heavy machine-gun and small arms fire, and suffered over thirty casualties who had to be evacuated across the open ground under enemy fire.
Tanks were sent across the start line to go to the assistance of the two companies but these were knocked out by enemy tanks and self-propelled guns on the forward slope before reaching “C” and “D” Companies.
H/Captain Anderson, hearing of the casualties, proceeded forward on foot across the bullet-swept ground to “C” and “D” Companies. Finding many casualties who required immediate attention, he returned to the battalion headquarters area near the start line and organized two available jeeps and a party of volunteer stretcher bearers to return to the scene of the battle. Though warned that all tanks had been knocked out a few minutes before on the route, H/Captain Anderson led the jeep party back and forth across the open ground until all casualties were evacuated.
During the day, a carrier and a tank had been knocked out by mines on the route to the Regimental Aid Post. The enemy positioned a self-propelled gun and machine-guns to cover the defile thus caused and successfully prevented the use of the route by vehicles and marching personnel during the battle. H/Captain Anderson, knowing this, ignored the enemy fire and led his jeeps along the route. Although the enemy fired upon the jeeps and destroyed one of them, H/Captain Anderson continued to drive back an forth along the route throughout the battle.
By his complete disregard for his own safety, and by his outstanding courage and initiative under heavy fire, H/Captain Anderson successfully evacuated over thirty stretcher cases and thus saved the lives of many soldiers”
Awarded a Bar to the Military Cross
On 6 March 1945, Honorary Captain Anderson, Canadian Chaplain Services was padre attached to the Highland Light Infantry of Canada. The Highland Light Infantry of Canada launched an attack from Balberger Wald over a mile of open ground, along a forward slope. “C” Company and “D” Company were pinned down by heavy enemy machine gun and small arms fire, and suffered over thirty casualties, who had to be evacuated across the open ground under enemy fire.
Tanks were sent across the start line to go to the assistance of “C” and “D” companies, but were knocked out by enemy tanks and self-propelled guns on the forward slope before reaching them. Honorary Captain Anderson, hearing of the casualties, proceeded forward on foot across the bullet swept ground to “C” and “D” companies. Finding many casualties who required immediate attention, he returned to the battalion headquarters area near the start line, and organized two available jeeps and a party of volunteer stretcher bearers to return to the scene of the battle. Though warned that tanks had been knocked out a few minutes before on the route he must follow, Honorary Captain Anderson led the jeep party back and forth across the open ground until all casualties were evacuated. During the day, a carrier and a tank had been knocked out by mines on the route to the regimental aid post. The enemy position had a self-propelled gun and machine guns to cover the defile thus caused, and successfully prevented the use of the route by vehicles and marching personnel during the battle. Honorary Captain Anderson, knowing this, ignored the enemy fire and led his jeeps along the route. Although the enemy fired on the jeeps and destroyed one of them, he continued to drive back and forth along the route throughout the battle. By his complete disregard for his own safety and by his outstanding courage and initiative under heavy enemy fire, Honorary Captain Anderson successfully evacuated over thirty stretcher cases, and thus saved the lives of many soldiers.