Name
Norman Dales Saunders
1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/12/1917
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sapper
146766
Royal Engineers
96th Field Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BOIS-GUILLAUME COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
B. 4B.
France
Headstone Inscription
SAY NOT GOODNIGHT BUT BID ME GOOD MORNING IN A FAIRER CLIME
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial
Pre War
Norman Dales Saunders was born 1886 in Broughton, St Ives, Hunts., to Walter J Saunders, farmer, and Maria (nee Dales).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Norman D, and Sarah A Lee (born 1875,servant) were living at High Street, Meldreth, Cambs.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Norman D (apprentice builder), Doris C (born 1894) and Gladys M (born 1896) were living at Drury Lane, Meldreth, Cambs.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents, (Walter was a farm bailiff for the Garden City estate), Norman D (carpenter), Doris C (shop assistant) Gladys M (student) and Minnie Chalkley (born 1897, servant) were living at ‘Elmhurst’, Baldock Road, Letchworth.
He worked for J T Openshaw & Co as a carpenter, and was a scout master.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Norman who may have in 1916 under a scheme calling qualified tradesmen to enlist in Royal Engineers. He was posted as Sapper 146766 to 96 Field Company R E, a part of 20th (Light) Division. He may have served with 20th Division in later Battles of the Somme but in 1917 the Division were active in the Pursuit of the Germans to the Hindenburg (14 Mar-5 Apr), 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) in the battles of Langemarck 16-18 Aug), Menin Road Ridge (20-25 Sep), Polygon Wood (26 Sep-3 Oct) and were moved to take part in the Cambrai Operations of The Tank attack (20-21 Nov), Bourlon Wood 23-2 Nov) and the German Counter Attack (30 Nov-3 Dec). In this last action on 1 Dec 1917, Norman was wounded with a shattered leg which was not amputated, he developed septic poisoning. His parents had been sent for but before they arrived Norman died on 22/23 Dec in No 8 General Hospital, Rouen.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £8 was paid to his mother and arrears of £10 7s 0d was paid to his father.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Janet Capstick, Jonty Wild
