William Edward Sanders
| William Edward Sanders | |
|---|---|
William Sanders c.1915–17
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Gunner Billy" |
| Born |
7 February 1883 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Died | 14 August 1917 (aged 34) at sea, near southern Ireland |
| Allegiance |
 British Empire
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Naval Reserve
|
| Years of service | 1916–1917 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
| Commands held | HMS Prize |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Victoria Cross Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches |
William Edward Sanders VC, DSO (7 February 1883 – 14 August 1917) was a New Zealand recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Born in Auckland, Sanders took up a seafaring career in 1899. He initially worked aboard steamships before transferring to sailing ships working around New Zealand waters to enhance his career prospects. After the outbreak of the First World War, he earned a master's certificate in late 1914. He then served in the Merchant Navy working aboard troopships until April 1916, when he was commissioned in the Royal Naval Reserve. He completed his military training in the United Kingdom after which he served aboard Helgoland, a Q-ship which operated against German submarines. He performed well on his first two patrols and was given his own command, HMS Prize, in February 1917. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions while on his first patrol as captain, when Prize engaged and saw off a German U-boat that had earlier attacked and damaged his own ship. He was killed in action during Prize's fourth patrol when his ship was sunk by a U-boat. His Victoria Cross was presented to his father and is currently held by the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Several memorials exist to Sanders' memory, including the Sanders Cup, a sailing trophy for 14-foot (4.3 m) centerboard X-class yachts.
William Sanders was born in the Auckland suburb of Kingsland on 7 February 1883. His father, Edward Helman Cook Sanders, was a boot maker, who with his wife Emma Jane Sanders (née Wilson), would have three more children. His maternal grandfather was a sea captain and worked for the family's shipping company.
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