The remains of Lieut. Robert Banks Anderson, who was killed in France May 29, 1918, the first Wilson county soldier to die in the Great War, have arrived in Hoboken and will be brought to Wilson shortly.
A military funeral will be held, final arrangements for which will be announced later. The deceased was a son of Dr. and Mrs. W.S. Anderson of Wilson. He was a young man popular in this community.
Robert Anderson was born October 15, 1892. He was educated at Trinity college and was just entering upon a promising career when the war broke out. He at once entered the officers training school at Fort Oglethorpe and received his commission as lieutenant. He joined the 28th U.S. infantry and was assigned to Company A while abroad. He had just finished a course of instruction in the British corps school and graduated from there with honors. It was during an advance to the front line at Cantigny on May 29 that during a counter attack he was fatally wounded.
The citation which accompanied the distinguished service cross awarded for his services stated:
“In the attack and defense at Cantigny May 28-30 he showed utter disregard for his personal safety in leading his command forward in spite of artillery and machine gun fire, and while directing the security of his men after the advance and in order to make certain that they were protected first, he himself was killed.”
From The Daily Times, Wilson, N.C., March 23, 1921.
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