Alfred Anderson

Scotland's last veteran of the Great War, Alfred Anderson, passed away at the age of 109. He is noteworthy not only because he was but one of ten surviving members of the British Expeditionary Force that was deployed during the First World War in Western Europe, but also because he was the last known survivor of the Christmas Truces of 1914.

Stretched over a 500 mile front, members of the German and Austro-Hungarian armies breached "no-man's land", the mile (or so) space between the fortified trenches, to meet their nemeses, the French and the British, on Christmas Eve. Exchanging smokes, singing Christmas carols, and kicking a soccer ball around, mortal enemies met in the spirit of Christmas that December 24, 1914. The British top brass were none too pleased to get wind of this kind of "fraternization with the enemy", and declared the next year (1915) that anyone who breached the trenches and went into no-man's land to pal around with the Hun would face still disciplinary action. For the most part, the orders stuck. However, one part of the British line defied the order. The last known survivor of the 1915 Christmas Truce, Bertie Felstead, passed in 2002. I'll write more about him as Christmas gets closer. (Hey...have to have a good holiday story to tell!)

In the interim, you can read about Alfred Anderson here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1866966,00.html. His story is a touching one, and melancholy at points. Eighty seven years after the end of the Great War, Alfred Anderson still suffered from "survivor's guilt"; he suffered from it 'til the end of his long life.

Rest in peace, Mr. Anderson. It comes none too soon.