A Tribute to Robert Banks Anderson, Who Was Killed in France

From the Wilson Daily Times, May 21, 1919. You can also find information on Robert B. Anderson and photographs at the Facebook page First Over There https://www.facebook.com/firstoverthere/posts/1656834431031469

A Tribute to Robert Banks Anderson

By D.L. Hardee, 1^st Lieut., 28^th Infantry, Trinity College, Class ‘13

His manly, straightforward character and unquestionable courage won him the respect of those who were associated with him, says a fellow officer, who was associated with Lieut. Anderson, who was one of the first Trinity men to fall in the fight.

A statement of his character and circumstances under which he fought from those who fought with him follows:

Joined 28^th U.S. Infantry and was assigned to Co. A while at Trevinay about Nov. 10, 1917. He had just finished a course of instruction in the British Corps School and he graduated from them with high honors and has taken this trip through the trenches as an observer. This gave him the advanced ideas of trench warfare, wiring, obstruction, raids, patrols, new weapons, etc., which made his service almost indispensable in preparing the men of his company in the tactics of European warfare for the long, dreary winter to come.

The bright day of the dreary winter was when as a reward for his good work, he and several other officers of the 28^th were given leaves to Nice, where the holiday was spent in the Regina Hotel. They returned just before the outfit went into the trenches in the Toul sector. Anderson took command of his platoon. During that time the weather permitted of little activity and many hours were passed playing bridge, and whist, of which he was very fond. Anderson was a congenial officer in a congenial family of officers, was liked by all of his associates, and had a reputation of being a good officer with his superior officers. The outfit came out of Toul, crossed France through Paris, and went into Picardy section, where his battalion was in reserve for some weeks.

When they went up into the trenches at Cantigny, A Company was in the front line a little to the right and in front of the town, where they were subjected to a terrific shell fire in every line of trench system. After 10 days in this sector he came out with the regiment unhurt, and rehearsed for the attack on Cantigny. In the meantime the company commander, the second in command and another officer had been evacuated with trench fever, leaving Anderson in command of the company. Owing to the confidence the battalion and regimental commanders had in him he was left in command for the attack.

On May 28^th, 1918, his company was on the extreme right in the attack. It was their function to sally out in No Man’s Land to act as a pivoting line, dig in and then maintain communication with the old line and new trench system. This movement under his guidance was beautifully executed by the company and although under heavy shell fire their losses were not excessive, due to the excellent manner in which the troops were conducted.

After withstanding several counter attacks on the second night following the attack, the company was relieved by a company of the 26^th infantry, and placed a short distance in rear in support. The next afternoon the battalion commander received word that during a heavy county attack the situation was growing critical and A company was ordered to advance to the support of the company of the 26^th Infantry. This entailed a movement of several hundred yards in open daylight and in view of the enemy. Their losses from machine gun fire were heavy but the counter attack was carried out successfully and the counter attack of the enemy completely repulsed. It was while carrying out this movement that Lieut. Anderson was wounded, and a company runner who was likewise wounded, and who accompanied him, returned from the hospital and said: “I never saw a braver man; he walked through the storm of machine gun bullets as calm as a man leading a parade.”

He continued “cheerful and laughed and talked with the doctors at the first aid station in spite of a bad wound in his groin from a machine gun bullet. He was expected to return to the organization but the hope of his early return was blighted by the report from the hospital of his death and the appearance of his name in the causality lists.

I knew him intimately while in college and those who knew him as an officer and comrade in arms had a very warm feeling of personal friendship and a hearty admiration for his ability and conduct as an officer.

These sentiments were not only shared by the men who knew him intimately but were the feelings also of those whom he trained and commanded in battle.