Anderson was educated at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and commissioned as a lieutenant on 3 November 1914 in B Squadron, 6th Light Horse Regiment.

[4] Following the outbreak of the First World War, Anderson and his squadron sailed from Sydney on board HMAT (A29) Suevic on 21 December 1914,[5] and arrived in Egypt on 1 February 1915.

After serving as infantry in the Gallipoli Campaign between May and December 1915, the light horsemen were stationed in Egypt as part of the ANZAC Mounted Division.

[4] After a brief term as director of military training in early 1942,[4] he returned to staff duties with the rank of brigadier,[9] serving with III Corps until June 1943, Second Army until August 1943, then at the Advanced Land HQ at St Lucia, Queensland, until January 1944.

[10] From September 1944 until the end of the war in August 1945 he was attached as brigadier in charge of administration to the Eighth United States Army.