Lieutenant Herbert Clement Saunders
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name:
Saunders,
Herbert Clement
Date of birth: 1885-08-05
Place of birth: Kingston Ontario Canada
Next of kin: Mrs. Katharine Marion Saunders, mother, of Buck Street, Kingston, Ontario
Marital status: single
Occupation (attested): Civil Engineer
Occupation (normalized): Civil Engineer, General
Religion: Church of England
Date of death:
1918-09-18
Cause of death:
Killed in action
MILITARY INFORMATION
Regimental number: 629366
Highest Rank:
Lieutenant
Rank detail
- Lieutenant (Air Force).
- Corporal, 47th Battalion, Infantry (Army).
- Sergeant, 47th Battalion, Infantry (Army).
Degree of service: Europe
Survived war: no
Battle wounded/killed: aerial combat near Epehy
Awards
Military Medal
Description: This N.C.O. led his platoon into action when his Officer became wounded. He was in charge of the left flank of his company during six counter attacks. By skilfully organizing rifle grenades and bombing sections and exercising proper fire control, and by his own example, courage and initiative his platoon inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy.
Date of award: 1917-11-19
Source: London Gazette 30389
Notes: September 2013 DNW auction. Private Canadian collection.
RESEARCH INFORMATION
CVWM ID: No CVWM ID in our database, but try
this.
CWGC ID: 337783
LAC ID:
214339
Service file: B8659-S028
Uploader's Notes: Prior service with 72nd Regiment, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. Son of Herbert James Saunders, M.D., and Katherine Marion Saunders, of Kingston, Ontario.
"Previously for official purposes presumed to have died, now reported 'Killed in Action' - he started out at 10.00 o'clock on the morning of September 18th, 1918, with a patrol of ten other machines. He was flying a single seater scout, Sopwith Camel No. D.9405. Shortly before the patrol was due to return from the lines, he became detached from the rest of the formation and was almost immediately attacked from behind by nine Fokker Biplanes. He was apparently unaware of their presence for he made little or no attempt to evade them and his machine was almost at once set on fire. He was last seen at about 7,000 feet going down in a vertical dive in flames. This occurred at 11.00 A.M. behind the German Lines, above the region of Epehy, North East of Peronne."
"Previously for official purposes presumed to have died, now reported 'Killed in Action' - he started out at 10.00 o'clock on the morning of September 18th, 1918, with a patrol of ten other machines. He was flying a single seater scout, Sopwith Camel No. D.9405. Shortly before the patrol was due to return from the lines, he became detached from the rest of the formation and was almost immediately attacked from behind by nine Fokker Biplanes. He was apparently unaware of their presence for he made little or no attempt to evade them and his machine was almost at once set on fire. He was last seen at about 7,000 feet going down in a vertical dive in flames. This occurred at 11.00 A.M. behind the German Lines, above the region of Epehy, North East of Peronne."
Uploader's Research notes: 47th Battalion Nominal Roll [Sergeant Army Canadian Infantry 47th Battalion Corporal Army Canadian Infantry 47th Battalion Lieutenant Air Force Royal Flying Corps 46th Squadron Military Medal This N.C.O. led his platoon into action when his Officer became wounded. He was in charge of the left flank of his company during six counter attacks. By skilfully organizing rifle grenades and bombing sections and exercising proper fire control, and by his own example, courage and initiative his platoon inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. ]
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Date added: 2004-09-04
Last modified: 2012-01-03