William Louis Anderson
Encyclopedia
William Louis Anderson DSC
(United Kingdom) (1882–1972) was the Anglican Bishop of Portsmouth and then the Bishop of Salisbury
. He also held what is believed to be the unique distinction of being the only bishop to have served in all three of the armed services.
, Assam
, India
on the 11 February 1892, the younger son of James Drummond Anderson
, a lecturer in Bengali at the University of Cambridge
. He was educated as a scholar at St Paul's School (London). He graduated BA
from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
in 1914 and
, then the Royal Naval Air Service
, and latterly in the newly formed Royal Air Force
, ending the war with the relative rank of Captain
and the DSC
.
at Ridley Hall, Cambridge and was ordained Deacon
in 1920, Priest
1921. He married first Gwendoline Jones and together they had two sons. His first posts were as Chaplain
s to a succession of Royal Naval
establishments.
of Sparkhill
, Birmingham
, taking on the additional responsibility of Rural Dean
of Bordesley
; in 1932, similar posts at Eastbourne. By 1937 he was Suffragan bishop
of Croydon
and in late 1941 he was appointed Bishop of Portsmouth to succeed the recently deceased Frank Partridge
. In 1949 he transferred to the more senior See
of Salisbury, a position he was to hold to his retirement in 1962. He died a decade later on the 5th of March 1972, a devotee of the countryside to the last.
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
(United Kingdom) (1882–1972) was the Anglican Bishop of Portsmouth and then the Bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
. He also held what is believed to be the unique distinction of being the only bishop to have served in all three of the armed services.
Early life
Anderson was born at TezpurTezpur
Tezpur is a city and the administrative headquarters and municipal board of Sonitpur district in the state of Assam in northeastern India. Tezpur is an ancient city on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and is the largest of the north bank towns with a population exceeding 100,000...
, Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on the 11 February 1892, the younger son of James Drummond Anderson
James Drummond Anderson (d.1920)
Dr. James Drummond Anderson, Litt.D. was a member of the Indian Civil Service from 1873 until 1900, and later a lecturer in Benagli at the University of Cambridge. He published a collection of Kachari folk-tales, of Chittagong proverbs, and other works on the languages of North-East India, usually...
, a lecturer in Bengali at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. He was educated as a scholar at St Paul's School (London). He graduated BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
in 1914 and
Military service
He served throughout the Great War, initially in the 1st King Edward’s HorseKing Edward's Horse
King Edward's Horse was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1901, which saw service in the Boer War and the First World War.-Early history:...
, then the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
, and latterly in the newly formed Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, ending the war with the relative rank of Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
and the DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
.
Ministry
On demobilisation he took Holy OrdersHoly Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
at Ridley Hall, Cambridge and was ordained Deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1920, Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
1921. He married first Gwendoline Jones and together they had two sons. His first posts were as Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
s to a succession of Royal Naval
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
establishments.
Clerical rise
In 1928 he was appointed the VicarVicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Sparkhill
Sparkhill
Sparkhill is an inner-city area of Birmingham, England, situated between Springfield, Hall Green and Sparkbrook.-Etymology:Sparkhill takes its name from Spark Brook, a small stream that flows from Moseley to the River Cole in Small Heath. It was, as the name suggests, a hill that was situated...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, taking on the additional responsibility of Rural Dean
Rural Dean
In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, a Rural Dean presides over a Rural Deanery .-Origins and usage:...
of Bordesley
Bordesley, West Midlands
Bordesley is an area of Birmingham, England and is part of the City's Nechells Ward.It is served by Bordesley railway station.It should not be confused with nearby Bordesley Green.-Notable residents :...
; in 1932, similar posts at Eastbourne. By 1937 he was Suffragan bishop
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
of Croydon
Bishop of Croydon
The Bishop of Croydon is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Southwark, in the Province of Canterbury, England....
and in late 1941 he was appointed Bishop of Portsmouth to succeed the recently deceased Frank Partridge
Frank Partridge (bishop)
Frank Partridge was the second Anglican Bishop of Portsmouth.-Early life:Partridge was born, the son of a Canadian, on the 31st of December 1877. He was educated privately before taking Holy Orders at Cuddesdon College, his first curacy being at Hawarden...
. In 1949 he transferred to the more senior See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Salisbury, a position he was to hold to his retirement in 1962. He died a decade later on the 5th of March 1972, a devotee of the countryside to the last.