Pilot Officer Frederick Hugh Anderson (404880) served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War Two. At his time of death, he flew with RAF 153 Squadron. Frederick was the son of Hugh Alexander Anderson and Ruby Eleanor Anderson of Wangaehu, Wellington, New Zealand.
He was a pilot with RAF 153 Squadron. This squadron reformed at RAF Ballyhalbert, Co. Down on 14th October 1941. They officially formed on 24th October 1941 operating Boulton Paul Defiants on night patrols.
Frederick Hugh Anderson’s grave is in Grave 1 of St. Andrew’s Church of Ireland, Ballyhalbert, Co. Down. The Co. Down churchyard is the final resting place of 4 other members of the ANZAC forces. Pilot Officer Anderson died in a training accident near Ballyhalbert on 19th November 1941 aged 22 years old.
Pilot Officer Anderson’s brother James Pellew Anderson died on 2nd August 1944, serving in 25th Battalion, New Zealand Infantry near Florence, Italy. Historians at Wanganui Collegiate Museum uncovered another strand of family history. Another Wanganui pilot, Sub-Lieutenant John Samuel Hornby also lies in St. Andrew’s Church of Ireland, Ballyhalbert, Co. Down. He died in October 1945 and was a second cousin of Anderson. Frederick’s younger brother Geoffrey Anderson recalled planting trees on a family farm when they learned of Hornby’s death.