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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Captain W R Saunderson MC


Desmond7

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Listed as Temp 2nd Lt. on MICs. I think he comes to live in Ballymena post war ... son joins RAF in second round and gets killed - son's middle name is Joffre.

Interested to know any more about how the father won the MC or owt else.

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Desmond

There are two W SAUNDERSONs on the WO339 files at Kew,one is 61876 and the other 67158. No rank shown on either entry so it is likely that they started at the bottom (2/Lt) !

Sotonmate

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Des

Here's his MC Citation, London Gazette #31119, 11th January 1919....

T./Lt. William Robert Saunderson, 9th Bn., R. Irish Fus., attd. 108th L.T.M. By.

Whilst in command of a section of mortars in operation, he went forward with the infantry, and with great courage and skill engaged several hostile machine guns which were holding them up, thus enabling them to advance. Later, during severe fighting, he located two enemy snipers who were firing at our men, and, going forward, killed one and took the other prisoner.

Link to Gazette is Here

Steve

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  • 13 years later...

Desmond and others .  William Robert Saunderson MC was my great grandfather and his medals were just willed to my son.  I don’t have details on why but he also was awarded pip anc squeak and a best rifle shot.  He served in the 9 th Irish Fus.  His daughter was my grandmother(Marne).  His son was William Christopher(Joffre) Saunderson and was shot down over Belgium.  I recently found a record of his burial in Belgium and read that there is a small memorial at the crash sight.  He, his wife,and my grandmother, and my mother are all buried in Grandview Indiana USA.

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Hi Great Grand WR Saunderson,

Welcome to the forum.

His hand annotated MC citation indicates that William was awarded the medal for his actions over the period 1st to 8th September 1918 at/near Neuve Eglise whilst attached to 108 (Brigade) Light Trench Mortar Battery.

image.png.1414a1838c384e3a11bbeeb163f70b05.png
Image Sourced from the National Archives

After a straight forward registration (link), the Brigade HQ diary can be download free of charge from here. Appended to the diary, there is a report on operations in which there is a section on the role of the TMB.

 

image.png.bb46304192a42d56c414c140600a1f93.png
image.png.e4007acee505c62630ff5f9591c87690.png
Images sourced from the National Archives

108 Brigade consisted of the infantry battalions:

9th Bn, the Royal Irish Fusiliers
11th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles    
12th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles    
13th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles    

It might be possible to tell if William was deployed with his 'parent' battalion, or perhaps with one of the others such as 12/RIR mentioned above. The war diaries can be downloaded from the National Archives - their search page is here. It would also be worth considering this diary

There is help on reading map references here.

His service file is available from the National Archives, but unfortunately not as a download - link.

Regards
Chris

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Thanks for the additional info.  I wish we knew this info when my mom was alive.  She was an avid genealogist earlier in life but that was before the internet.  I remember her telling me that it had been difficult for her to get info from GB while here in the states.  I’m sure she is in heaven getting first hand accounts now.  My son, who was given the medals is happy to get the info that goes with them.  Thanks again.

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  • 1 month later...
On 16/08/2021 at 17:27, Great Grand WR Saunderson said:

Thanks for the additional info.  I wish we knew this info when my mom was alive.  She was an avid genealogist earlier in life but that was before the internet.  I remember her telling me that it had been difficult for her to get info from GB while here in the states.  I’m sure she is in heaven getting first hand accounts now.  My son, who was given the medals is happy to get the info that goes with them.  Thanks again.

Hi @Great Grand WR Saunderson

The Ballymena Academy memorial tablet for the Second World War includes a "WRC Saunderson" as a fatality and it has been suggested that this is a mistaken reference to Christopher William (Joffre) Saunderson. Would you know where CW Saunderson was educated?

Incidentally, I have some information on CW Saunderson (birth and marriage details), if you are interested.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Nigel

{edited by moderator to remove email address, please use private messages to contact each other}

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On 18/04/2008 at 19:58, Desmond7 said:

Listed as Temp 2nd Lt. on MICs. I think he comes to live in Ballymena post war ... son joins RAF in second round and gets killed - son's middle name is Joffre.

Interested to know any more about how the father won the MC or owt else.

According to the Register of Births, the son's forenames were Christopher William. In newspaper reports, the forename is recorded as "Joffre", indicating that it was some kind of family name or nickname. 

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