SAUNDERS, William George
| Service Number: | 761 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Golden Square, Victoria, Australia, October 1894 |
| Home Town: | Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Bendigo School of Mines, School of Correspondence, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Motor mechanic |
| Died: | Died of wounds, At sea. HMHS "Royal George", Gallipoli, 11 May 1915 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Panel 28, Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 761, Bendigo, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 761, 7th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 761, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 761, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 30 Apr 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
| 8 May 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 761, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, 2nd Krithia. GSW to skull. Evacuated to Egypt however died at sea 11 May 1915 (HMHS Royal George). | |
| 11 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 761, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 761 awm_unit: 7 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1915-05-11 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Larna Malone
William George Saunders was born in Golden Square, the son of Henry Page (dec.) & Catherine Saunders, of Job’s Gully, Bendigo. He was a Motor mechanic at the Bendigo Motor Garage, High street, and had previously been apprenticed as an Electrical engineer to the Bendigo Electric Supply Co. He was 19 years & 9 months old and had previous military service in Junior Cadets and Senior Cadets. He was currently serving in the 67th Infantry with the rank of 2nd lieutenant. The official call for volunteers had resulted in a rush of men. Men who held rank in the CMF volunteered as Privates, relinquishing their rank rather than miss out on selection. William George Saunders relinquished his rank fearing that he would not be selected. He was amongst the early volunteers, enlisting on 18.8.14. The following day he left Bendigo for the Broadmeadows Camp. He was allotted Service no. 761 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion, as Lance Corporal.
Prior to embarkation he was Presented with a memento by the Borough of Eaglehawk (Pocket wallet, wristlet watch, or shaving outfit); Presented with scriptural books from the East Methodist Sunday School; Entertained by his friends and presented with a Smoker’s outfit; Entertained by members of the Refuge Tent, I.O.R., Eaglehawk, and presented with a silver-mounted wallet; and Entertained by the officers of the 67th Infantry and presented with a memento.
The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’. Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids. (6/12/14)
In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized. In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company. This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.
The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915. On April 30 the battalion moved down the valley and took the opportunity to re-group & re-organize. Men were promoted in place of those who had been wounded or killed. William Saunders was promoted to Sergeant.
In May, Lieut.-General Sir W.R. Birdwood, in command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, was asked to provide part of the Australian force to assist in a British offensive at Cape Helles. The 2nd Australian Brigade, which included the 7th Battalion, was one of two brigades provided. The 7th Battalion left Anzac and disembarked at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles, on May 6th. The battalion moved forward on May 8th in what was later known as the “2nd Battle of Krithia” (8-11 May). This battle achieved minimal gain and casualties were extremely high.
William George Saunders was Wounded, sustaining a GSW to his skull. He was taken to HMHS “Royal George” but died of his wounds on 11/5/15. He was Buried at sea on 12/5/15. His name was recorded on the Lone Pine Memorial.
“In the Eaglehawk East Methodist Sunday School on Sunday feeling reference was made to the death of Lance-Corporal W. Saunders, one of the officers of the Sunday School, who was recently killed in action at the Dardanelles. The school was draped as a mark of respect to deceased’s memory.” [Bendigo Advertiser June 1, 1915]
“The First Lot. 7th Battalion. The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone
Biography contributed by Linda Neate
Bendigonian Thu 3 Jun 1915 Page 20
LANCE-CORPORAL W. G. SAUNDERS.
Educated Golden Square and Eaglehawk State Schools and Bendigo School of Mines
Engaged in electrical and mechanical engineering, having been employed by the Electric Supply Co. and at the Bendigo Motor Garage, High Street.
Military experience – cadet corps while in school and from 1911 universal training Senior Cadets Area 68A, Eaglehawk and Citizen Forces H Company 67th Infantry, rank of 2nd Lieutenant.
Member Eaglehawk East Methodist Sunday School and Eaglehawk Refuge Tent, Independent Order of Rechabites.
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