Name
Francis John (Jack) Saunders
Circa 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/04/1917
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
47763
Welsh Regiment
15th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MENDINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY
II. B. 15
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, St Faith’s Church Memorial, Walsworth
Pre War
Francis was born in 1897 in Stotfold, Beds. and apparently known as Jack. His parents were Francis John Saunders and Hagar (née Saunderson) they married in 1890.
In 1901 the family were living at Lime House, Stotfold, Beds. Present were both parents: Francis (36) and Hagar (35), with Francis (senior) a cattle dealer, farmer and employer. Their children were: Nellie Louise (10), Ruby Sarah (6) and Francis John (Jack) (4) and Edilath Elizabeth (2). They had a domestic servant, Naomi Castle (21).
Jack’s mother, Hagar, died in 1908 and his father remarried in 1910 marrying Agnes Caroline Roberts.
By 1911 the family were living at Sailor Boy, Walsworth, near Hitchin. Present were Agnes (35) the Inn Keeper, Francis John (44) still a cattle dealer. The census recorded they had been married for 1 years with 1 child – she was Violet Mary, just 5 months old. The children from his previous marriage who were present were Jack, now 14 and working as a butcher’s assistant and Sidney Frank (7). An Agnes Smoothy (67) was also present, listed as a widow and mother – presumably Agnes’s.
Before his enlistment he was employed by Mr H. Young, a butcher of Lilley.
Officially Jack was recorded as born in Stotfold, Beds. was living in Walsworth, Herts., when he enlisted in Luton, Beds.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Luton into the Royal Engineers in May 1915, but in December 1916 he was transferred to the Welch Regiment after his arrival in France and given the Regimental Number 47763. He was posted to the 15th Battalion of the Regiment and died of wounds in Belgium. The Battalion was part of the 114th Brigade of the 38th Division.
His death followed an attack of measles. He had only been out of hospital four days before being seriously wounded while in the trenches on the 31st March 1917.
He was buried in Plot 2, Row B, Grave 15 in Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Proven in Belgium.
Additional Information
After his death £2 19s 3d pay owing was authorised to go to his father on 7 July 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £8 10s was authorised to be paid to him on 22 October 1919.
His pension cards only record his father, as his next of kin and confirm that in 1927 he was living at The Cottage, Ickleford, near Hitchin.
Acknowledgments
Cilla Dyson Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
