Pighills Posted 23 July , 2008 Share Posted 23 July , 2008 I came across the following photos and write up about Sgt Saunders whilst in my local library (Harrogate) yesterday and wondered if they would be of interest to anyone who may be researching him/the regiment. He was one very brave man! Feel free to make use of the info here or I will gladly send you a full size/better quality photo if you wish. Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 23 July , 2008 Share Posted 23 July , 2008 Hi Kim, Might that be Pte Imeson in the right hand photo? The chap leaning against the railings certainly looks to me to have a West Yorkshire Regiment cap badge. Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett361975 Posted 23 July , 2008 Share Posted 23 July , 2008 True British grit, a well deserved award Sir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 23 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2008 Nigel I've got photos of two Imeson's in my records, a Cpl Newsome Imeson of 3rd West Yorks and a Pte Stanley Imeson (West Yorks). They were both wounded, but the picture of Stanley looks like it might be him (I hope this is the one you were meaning?) - eagle eyes you have!!!! Kim Ha, just re-read the write up and it does indeed mention Pte Imeson, so it probably is - I shall post Stanley's photo and you can compare! Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 23 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2008 Pte Stanley Imeson: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redescort Posted 23 July , 2008 Share Posted 23 July , 2008 I came across the following photos and write up about Sgt Saunders whilst in my local library (Harrogate) yesterday and wondered if they would be of interest to anyone who may be researching him/the regiment. He was one very brave man! Feel free to make use of the info here or I will gladly send you a full size/better quality photo if you wish. Kim Kim Would appreciate a full size photo as I am researching and slowly compiling a database of the Suffolks. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMixMonkey Posted 23 July , 2008 Share Posted 23 July , 2008 Kim, I have an interest in the Suffolk Regiment due to my Great Grandfather's service, so this was very interesting. Thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 23 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2008 Ray I have pm'd you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 24 July , 2008 Share Posted 24 July , 2008 Hi Kim, Yes that looks like it could be him. Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest steveimeson Posted 14 January , 2009 Share Posted 14 January , 2009 Kim I have just read the entry re Imeson's in the West Yorkshire Regiment and am very interested in any pictures and information you may have. The Imeson's mentioned are both descendents of mine. Private Stanley Imeson (for whom there is a picture and is mentioned in the article about Sergeant Saunders) has a West Yorkshire Regiment number of 63813,26642 and on his Medal Rolls Index Card is noted as being in the Gordon Highlanders. This is my first picture of him so I am of course very happy to see that. He was actually christened Manfred Stanley Imeson and was born in 1900. His father was Thomas Hardaker Imeson and that is in fact recorded below the picture you have attached. What is interesting is that the picture seems to indicate that Thomas is also in service as a Corporal. I cannot find any relevant record to back that up though? Thomas's brother and therefore Stanley's uncle is Newsome Imeson. You say that you also have a picture of him and that too would be wonderful to see as I don't have one. Newsome's regiment number in the West Yorks is 18812. I do know that he was wounded and I have a record of that from the Claro Times - 5th November 1915 which states: Corporal Newsome Imeson, of the 3rd West Yorkshires, was wounded in hand and arm by shrapnel on October 12th at Sulva Bay, in the Dardanelles, and is now in Ward A4, Military Block, Milton Infirmary, Portsmouth. He was formerly an employee of the Harrogate and District Co-operative Society. Steve Imeson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nthornton1979 Posted 21 April , 2010 Share Posted 21 April , 2010 Saunders himself never expanded upon the deed that earned him the VC, but many years later details emerged from memoirs written by Gen Sir Philip Christison who had been a 2Lt in the 6th Cameron Highlanders at the Battle of Loos and was with Saunders during his deed of gallantry. 2Lt Christison was lying wounded in a shell-hole when the 9th Suffolks passed through his position. Things seemed to be going well at first but then, to his horror, the Suffolks and their flanking troops doubled back under fire, leaving him isolated. Christison takes up the story: ‘But one stout fellow, Sgt AF Saunders, refused to retire. He had a Lewis Gun he had picked up with a full drum on it. He crawled over to me and said he’d stay and fight. He made to crawl over to the next shell-hole and, as he did so, a shell landed and blew part of his left leg off about the knee. I crawled over and got him into the shell-hole, putting a tourniquet on his leg and giving him my water bottle as his was empty. I crawled back to my hole and a few minutes later saw a fresh wave of German troops advancing. There seemed to be no point in opening fire as there were, perhaps, 150 enemy advancing rather diagonally across our front. To my amazement, I heard short sharp bursts of Lewis Gun fire coming from the shell-hole on my right; this was Sgt Saunders, more or less minus a leg. The Germans were taken by surprise and bunched, so I joined in and between us we took a heavy toll and the rest retired out of sight. I took down Sgt Saunders’ number, name and regiment. Stretcher-bearer parties from the RE got me and Sgt Saunders on stretchers but shells dropped close and we were abandoned. We were lucky as a stretcher-bearer party from the Scots Guards picked us up and got us to an Advanced Dressing Station, where emergency surgery was carried out. Sgt Saunders, now without a leg, was awarded the VC, while I was given the MC. He and I correspond regularly.’ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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