Lieutenant Patrick Wright Anderson, Black Watch, RFC and RAF

Correspondence of Patrick William Anderson with archivists, librarians and publishers mainly relating to his uncle, Lieutenant Patrick Wright Anderson, with some relating to James Bell Salmond, including articles and newspaper cuttings 1988-2020, loose articles and publications 2000-2019. Photographs, 1915-c 2018

Originally from Arbroath, Patrick William Anderson worked for many years as a policeman in Yorkshire before returning to Scotland upon his retirement. During the late 1980s he began the task of researching the history of his uncle, Lieutenant Patrick Wright Anderson, who had died of war wounds received during the First World War. The collection consists of Patrick William Anderson's correspondence with librarians, archivists and publishers and contains articles written by him. Apart from researching his uncle's war service history Anderson also campaigned to have his uncle's sacrifice offically recognised. Because Lieutenant Anderson died after the 31st August 1921 he was not entitled to be listed in the War Graves Commission register or have an official "war graves" headstone. As a result of the efforts of his nephew his name was added to the rolls of honour at the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle, and the Tayforth Universities Officers Training Corps building in St Andrews. Patrick Wright Anderson was born in Arbroath on 7th October, 1892. He was the son of Patrick Wright Anderson, an accountant who resided at 43 Hill Street Arbroath, and was the grandson of Captain Patrick Wright Anderson, a ship master. He attended Arbroath High School and was member of St Mary's Episcopal Church, and played for its cricket team. In 1911 he became a student at University College, Dundee, then part of St Andrews University. He became a member of the University's Officers Training Corps in 1913 and the following year, upon the outbreak of the First World War, he interrupted his studies to join the Black Watch Regiment. In 1915 he was appointed Lieutenant and served in France and Salonika before commencing training in 1917 with the Royal Flying Corps. In 1918 the Royal Flying Corps amalgamated with the Royal Naval Air Service to become the Royal Air Force and as one of its first pilots Anderson was engaged in bombing raids and aerial combat. During one such aerial battle in June 1918 Anderson was wounded in his stomach and thigh. Although not immediately fatal the wounds were nonetheless debilitating and Anderson had to resign his commission. He arrived home in Arbroath in 1919 but never fully recovered and after being admitted to Arbroath Infirmary he died on 2 November 1921 at the age of 29. He was included on the War Memorials of Unversity College Dundee and the Dundee Training College. Patrick Wright Anderson was the cousin of James Bell Salmond who attended University College, Dundee 1909-1910 and was an officer in the Black Watch. In 1917 J B Salmond was a patient in Craiglockhart Hospital at the same time as Wilfred Owen and edited its magazine the Hydra. He was later editor of the Scots Magazine and Keeper of Muniments at the University of St Andrews. He died in 1958. Another cousin was Cecil James Sim Addison, Assistant Lecturer in Humanity at University College Dundee, 1946-1947 and then rector of the Nicholson Institute, Stornoway.

Records are arranged chronologically within series.

Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.

The collection was compiled from correspondence between Patrick Anderson and archivists at the University of Dundee submitted over a number of years.

Originally from Arbroath, Patrick William Anderson worked for many years as a policeman in Yorkshire before returning to Scotland upon his retirement. During the late 1980s he began the task of researching the history of his uncle, Lieutenant Patrick Wright Anderson, who had died of war wounds received during the First World War. The collection consists of Patrick William Anderson's correspondence with librarians, archivists and publishers and contains articles written by him. Apart from researching his uncle's war service history Anderson also campaigned to have his uncle's sacrifice offically recognised. Because Lieutenant Anderson died after the 31st August 1921 he was not entitled to be listed in the War Graves Commission register or have an official "war graves" headstone. As a result of the efforts of his nephew his name was added to the rolls of honour at the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle, and the Tayforth Universities Officers Training Corps building in St Andrews. Patrick Wright Anderson was born in Arbroath on 7th October, 1892. He was the son of Patrick Wright Anderson, an accountant who resided at 43 Hill Street Arbroath, and was the grandson of Captain Patrick Wright Anderson, a ship master. He attended Arbroath High School and was member of St Mary's Episcopal Church, and played for its cricket team. In 1911 he became a student at University College, Dundee, then part of St Andrews University. He became a member of the University's Officers Training Corps in 1913 and the following year, upon the outbreak of the First World War, he interrupted his studies to join the Black Watch Regiment. In 1915 he was appointed Lieutenant and served in France and Salonika before commencing training in 1917 with the Royal Flying Corps. In 1918 the Royal Flying Corps amalgamated with the Royal Naval Air Service to become the Royal Air Force and as one of its first pilots Anderson was engaged in bombing raids and aerial combat. During one such aerial battle in June 1918 Anderson was wounded in his stomach and thigh. Although not immediately fatal the wounds were nonetheless debilitating and Anderson had to resign his commission. He arrived home in Arbroath in 1919 but never fully recovered and after being admitted to Arbroath Infirmary he died on 2 November 1921 at the age of 29. He was included on the War Memorials of Unversity College Dundee and the Dundee Training College. Patrick Wright Anderson was the cousin of James Bell Salmond who attended University College, Dundee 1909-1910 and was an officer in the Black Watch. In 1917 J B Salmond was a patient in Craiglockhart Hospital at the same time as Wilfred Owen and edited its magazine the Hydra. He was later editor of the Scots Magazine and Keeper of Muniments at the University of St Andrews. He died in 1958. Another cousin was Cecil James Sim Addison, Assistant Lecturer in Humanity at University College Dundee, 1946-1947 and then rector of the Nicholson Institute, Stornoway.

Descriptive list. Subject source lists and databases are also available.

The records are on paper and include photographs.

Fonds level description compiled by Michael Bolik, Assistant Archivist and amended by Caroline Brown, Deputy Archivist, November 2003. Updated and revised by Kenneth Baxter Archives Assistant April 2011, and further updated and amended by him October 2013, January & September 2018, January & June 2019, September 2021 and March 2023.

Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges may be made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply; please check with the Duty Archivist.

Not expected

or photocopies of publications

Published

Catalogued

MS 2