Dallas VC hero remembered
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THE Dallas community has turned out in force to remember their local hero.
Corporal William Anderson gained Britain’s highest wartime honour - the Victoria Cross - 100 years ago but his name had been forgotten in the place of his birth.
One hundred years ago his heroic actions in the trenches of World War One earned him the Victoria Cross, the name of Corporal Today he had his name added to the war memorial in Dallas.
Around 30 of his descendants joined villagers and dignitaries to honour Corporal Anderson, who did not live to receive his medal.
He was killed in action on the Western Front at Neuve Chapelle on March 13, 1915 - the day after he single-handedly defended a British position from enemy attack.
His remains were never found.
Because his family moved from Dallas to Forres when he was a young child, Corporal Anderson’s name appears on the war memorial there.
However, as a son of Dallas, the local community felt it was an anomaly which needed to be addressed and the past few years has been a growing campaign to have the omission remedied.
Today, a century and two days after Corporal Anderson’s death at the age of 30, the Lord Lieutenant of Moray Grenville Johnston, unveiled a sandstone tablet in his honour at the Dallas war memorial.
Wreaths were also laid on behalf of the Yorkshire Regiment - with which Corporal Anderson was serving at the time of his death - Moray Council, the Forres branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland, the Dallas Hall Committee, Dallas Primary School and his family.
Then a bugler from the Yorkshire Regiment played Last Post.
Corporal Anderson’s VC citation reads: "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty at Neuve Chapelle on 12th March, 1915 when he led three men with bombs against a large party of the enemy who had entered our trenches and by his prompt and determined action saved what would otherwise have become a serious situation.
"Corporal Anderson first threw his own bombs, then those of his three men (who had been wounded) amongst the Germans; after which he opened rapid fire upon them with great effect, not withstanding that he was at that time quite alone."
See the next edition of the ‘Northern Scot’ newspaper for full story and pictures.
