They made the Ultimate Sacrifice

 

Arthur Robert Saunders

 

Able Seaman, 41047, RCN

 

Born: 22 Feb 1899, Plymouth, England

 

Died: 25 Jun 1940 at sea

 

Book of Remembrance

 

SAUNDERS, Arthur Robert, AB, 41047, RCN, MPK - 25 Jun 1940, HMCS FRASER - Husband of Sarah Saunders, of Tilbury, Ontario.

 

AB Saunders died when his ship, HMCS FRASER, was in a collision with HMS CALCUTTA 12 miles due west of Pointe de la Coubre light at the Gironde River mouth and sank as a result with the loss of 65 of her crew.

 

AB Saunders had previous service in the Royal Navy from Sep 1914 - Feb 1926.

 

Service at Tilbury in Honor of Kent Country's First War Casualty - Tilbury, Sept. 10 - memorial service for Seaman Arthur Saunders, first war casualty of Kent County, who lost his life when HMCS Fraser went down early in the summer, was conducted in the Darrel S. Mofffat Memorial Church. The central pews were occupied by Mrs. Saunders, widow, and her son, Norman, and daughter, Edith, with a group of close friends. Legionnaires, members of the Home Guard and local soldiers of various units at home on leave. The minister, Rev. W.J. Maines, gave the sermon. Two minutes silence was observed and following the National Anthem Orval Burton sounded the Last Post.

 

Ships served in:

HMCS STADACONA - Enlisted 11 Oct 1939 as an Able Seaman, RCN

HMCS FRASER - Drafted to FRASER 22 Oct 1939

 

AS01

AS02

AS03

AS04

(AS01-AS03) Articles on the death of AB Arthur Saunders

(AS04) Documents from the Service File of Arthur Saunders

 


 

Second World War Casualty Index

 

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