Samuel Anderson was born in South Shields, County Durham on 11 November 1883, the son of Carl Oskar Anderson & Louisa Amelia Anderson (née Jonnson). He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class. He was promoted to Acting Gunner on 6 February 1913, and, on 3 September 1914, he was appointed to the cruiser HMS EURYALUS.

He was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN ‘for Submarine Duties‘ on 5 July 1915. On 31 August 1915 he was appointed to HMS B4 as First Lieutenant. On 1 December 1916, he was appointed to HMS C16 as First Lieutenant. On 16 April 1917, C16 was lost with all hands following a collision with the destroyer HMS MELAMPUS off Harwich.

Samuel Anderson was the husband of Alice Gertrude Anderson of Sheerness. He is buried at the Sheerness (Isle of Sheppey) Cemetery in Grave II.113.