Name
Horace Edward Saunders
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/09/1918
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
48526
Northamptonshire Regiment
1st Garrison Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RAMLEH WAR CEMETERY
CC 45
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
FOR EVER IN OUR THOUGHTS
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial,
We are not aware of any memorial in Childwickbury to the villagers or the Estate
Pre War
Horace Edward was born in 1896 in Copthall, Luton to Alfred Saunders, a horse keeper on a farm, and Rose (nee Medlock).
On the 1901 Census they were living at Cooper’s Lane Enfield Middx. On the 1911 Census the family were living at Sandridge, St. Albans and Horace was a farm labourer. His family later lived at Beeson End, Childwickbury, Harpenden.
Wartime Service
Horace attested on 8 Jun 1917 giving his occupation as tramway motorman and was medically graded B1 and was initially posted to Suffolk Regiment as Private 39818.
On 16 Oct 1917 he was transferred as Private 48526 to Northants Regiment and the next day embarked at Southampton for service in Egypt, arriving in Alexandria, Egypt on 1 Nov 1917. He joined 1st Garrison Battalion Northants at El Arish. 1st Garrison, Northants were a non-combatant unit, and had been in Egypt since Oct 1915 providing troops for guard duty, etc. The unit moved to Palestine to continue their duties in 1918. Horace was taken ill and died from sickness at Casualty Clearing Station, Ludd (Lod) Palestine on 19 Sep 1918.
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs. R. Saunders, 6, Beeson End, Harpenden, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "FOR EVER IN OUR THOUGHTS".
War Gratuity of £7 and arrears of £18 6s paid to his father.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Christine Aitken, Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
