William Anderson

William Louis Anderson (11 February 1892 – 5 March 1972) was the Church of England 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. Early life Anderson was born at Tezpur, Assam, India, on 11 February 1892, the younger son of James Drummond Anderson, a member of the Indian Civil Service who later became a lecturer in Bengali at the University of Cambridge. His elder brother, Sir James Drummond Anderson, also had a distinguished colonial career. He was educated as a scholar at St Paul's School and graduated BA from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge in 1914 and MA in 1920. He was appointed an honorary fellow in 1950. Military service He served throughout the First World War, initially in the 1st King Edward's Horse, then the Royal Naval Air Service, and finally in the newly formed Royal Air Force, ending the war with the rank of captain (later flight lieutenant from 1918 to 1919). He fought in France as a sergeant-major in King Edward's Horse, and flew American Flying Boats with the Royal Naval Air Service from Felixstowe and then the Isles of Scilly. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross after sinking an enemy submarine in a flying boat attack while serving in the Isles of Scilly. Ministry On demobilisation, he studied for ordination at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He was ordained deacon in 1920 and priest in 1921. He married Gwendoline Jones and they had two sons. He rejoined the Royal Navy as a chaplain and served in a succession of naval establishments. His last posting was as chaplain to the Britannia Royal Naval College.