Eric Frederick Rask Andersen* was born in Nasby, Denmark to Harold and Nellie Andersen on 7 April 1924. His family emigrated to Canada later that year and initially settled in Toronto, Ontario before moving to Montréal, Québec. His father was a night watchman. Eric had two sisters: Erna and Elna. Eric had left school at age 17 after two years of high school and had been working as office clerk for two years with the Dominion Glass Company.
Eric enlisted on 26 February 1943 at No 4 District Depot in Montreal and was assigned to No 4 Engineer Services and Works Company in Montréal. He was 19 years old and single at the time. Eric made a point during the enlistment process of stating that he was not keen to be a clerk in the Army. In December of that year, he was posted to A5 Canadian Engineer Training Center at Camp Petawawa, Ontario for his sapper training. During this training he also qualified as a Driver Internal Combustion Class III on 27 May 1944.
After completing his sapper training, Erik embarked for the United Kingdom on 19 July 1944. He was initially assigned to No 1 Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Unit but he was transferred to 11th Field Company on 5 October 1944. He qualified as a Driver Mechanic on 18 December 1944 while the unit was preparing for its tasks during the planned Normandy invasion.
Eric embarked for the Continent on 22 September 1944 and joined his unit as it was involved in Antwerp- Turnhout Canal operation and supported the Allied advance through Holland, and eventually into Germany. Among its operations, the company participated in the Battle of Falaise, The Scheldt, The Rhineland, and The Rhine. By the end of February 1944, the unit had arrived in Germany as the Allied forces continued to push back the enemy.
On 16 March, the 11th Field Company began to check a stretch of ground near Cleve, Germany for mines in order to make the area safe for the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada. By the next evening, the mine-clearing parties had found a number of German Riegelmine 43 anti-tank mines that they safely lifted and stored in two dumps. At 1300 hrs the next day, Sapper Andersen was part of a nine-man party led by Lieutenant O. H. Taylor that set out to destroy the mines in the dumps. A half-hour later, something went terribly wrong. There was a terrific explosion and all were killed. No evidence was ever found to indicate why the tragedy had occurred.
Sapper Eric Frederick Rask Andersen was Killed in Action at age 20 on 18 March 1945. He was given a temporary burial the Canadian Military Cemetery at Bedberg Germany. He was moved to his permanent grave in the Nijmegin Canadian Military Cemetery that is now named the Groesbeek Canadian Military Cemetery.
*Note: Spr Andersen's name is often misspelled as ”Anderson.”
