They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
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-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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