Name
Alfred Saunders(*1)
15 January 1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/10/1918
39
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
412878
Canadian Infantry
20th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NIAGARA CEMETERY, IWUY
B. 29.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
Alfred was born on 15 January 1881 in Hitchin and possibly baptised on 30 September 1881. His mother was Elizabeth (sometimes Lizzie or Eliza), his father is unknown.
In 1881 the Alfred (3 months) and his mother (20) were living at St Andrews Street, Hitchin, the home of her elder sister Eliza. Those present were Eliza Saunders (25 and head of household), her daughter Clara (4) and son John (1), Lizzie Saunders (sister) and Alfred (nephew). Both sisters were unmarried and working as straw plaiters.
Elizabeth married Lewis Castle in the third quarter of 1883 and by 1891 were living at 4 Lyles Row, Hitchin. Present were Lewis (30) and Elizabeth (28) - Lewis working as a railway labourer. The children present were Alfred (Saunders 10) and half siblings, Flora (6), Harry (4) and Gertrude (7 months).
By 1901 the family were living at 16 Anderson Row, Florence St, Hitchin. Present were Lewis and Alfred’s mother now listed as Eliza, Harry, Gertrude, new half siblings Sidney (5) and Kitty (1). Alfred’s location has not yet been found in this census or in 1911. Although his mother and some of his half siblings were still living at the same address. Lewis was absent, but the census recorded they had been married for 29 years with 6 children, of whom 1 had died. Lewis died in 1915.
Alfred is believed to have emigrated to Canada in 1913(*2), arriving in St Johns, Newfoundland on 28 March 1913, on the Empress of Ireland, with the intention of working as a farm labourer.
His service records suggest that he was born in Holloway, London, but we believe this to be wrong.
He had been a railway worker before emigrating to Canada. He lived in Toronto and when he enlisted in 1915, had been in Canada for thirteen years. He joined the army on 18th July 1915, after enlisting on 18th February and being medically examined on 13th March. He left Canada on the 24th June 1915 bound for the UK with the Canadians to France in the summer of 1915. His enlistment papers confirm that he was 34 years old, 5’ 4” tall, of dark complexion with grey eyes and black hair.
Wartime Service
His Service Number was 412878 and he served in the 20th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry and landed in Boulogne, France on 14th September 1915.
He was detailed as a woodcutter in the field on 22nd July 1916 the re-joined his battalion on 29th August. He was wounded on 16th September 1916, with a gunshot wound to his chest and was admitted to No. 10 General Hospital in Rouen. From there he was transported back to England and to the Bethnal Green Military Hospital (23rd), then to the Canadian Convalescence Unit located in Bromley, Kent before his discharge on 17th November 1916. His records reveal that he was not taken back on strength until 21st March 1917 and did not return to France until the 9th or 10th of April 1917. He made a new Will on the 21st March leaving all his personal estate to his mother.
He was granted 14 days leave on January 3rd, probably returning to the UK. When he returned he was sent on a 7-day Lewis gun course. He returned to the Front and was killed in action on 11th October 1918 – a month before hostilities ended.
At the time of his death the Canadians were in the advance to the River Selle, north east of Cambrai near Le Cateau. At 11.00am the Canadian Corps was hit by determined German counter-attacks near Avesnes Le Sec using five British tanks that they had captured.
Canadian war records, record Alfred as killed in action, “During a counter attack made by the enemy in the vicinity of NAVES, at about 11 a.m., on October 11th, 1918, he was hit by a machine gun bullet and instantly killed.”
He was buried in Row B, Grave 29 in Niagara Cemetery, lwuy in France.
Additional Information
*1 appears a Sanders on the memorials.
*2 one source suggest that he had been in Canada for 13 years when he enlisted in 1915. If this is the case then that would explain his absence from some censuses and perhaps the 1913 record was visit to the UK.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
