THE NEWEST V C

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 154, 2 July 1917, Page 3

THE NEWEST V C

VARIED MARINE EXPERIENCE

Lieutenant-Commander William Edward Sanders, R.N.1.., who hns

boen awarded the Victoria Cross is, says the --uekland Star, the eldest son of Mr and the late Mrs E. H. C. Sanders, of St. Paul's Street, Auckland, and' brother of Mr Charles Sanders, of Edendale, and is thirtyfour years of age. He was born in Auckland, and as a boy was a pupil of the Nelson Street School, and had his first experience of the sea in the small coastal steamer Kotiti. Afterwards he served in the Government steamer Hinenioa, and then joined one of the Craig line of sailing vessels. In due course he passed as second mate, and then as first mate, and was serving aboard the barque Joseph Crait; when the latter was totally wrecked inside the Kaipara Bar. With the rest of the crew he got ashore in one of the boats just before the vessel broke up, and nearly lost his life in doing so. Afterwards bo vent to Sydney, v.Jiere he passed for extra master,

and joined, the Union Company's fleet. On the outbreak of war he offered his services to the Admiralty. He was not called up for special war service till fully eighteen months afterward*, but in due course was ordered Home to England and placed aboard a warship with the rank of sub-lieutenant. Within a year he was twice recommended for decorations, and was appointed lieutenantrtommander, but apart from these facts practically nothing is known of his services or the nature of the work upon which he has been engaged. No particulars of tho deed for which he receEed the V.O. have been made public, but the cablegram on the subject stated that he was believed to have won tbe decoration "during one of the most brilliant of the minor engagements of the war/

Lieutenant-Commander Sanders is the sixth New Zealander to win the Victoria Cross. The first in order is Captain Yv. J. Hardham. who won it m South Africa in 1901, and aftervnrds served with distinction at Gallipoli; where he was severely wounded. The second is Sergeant C. R. G. Bassett, of Auckland, who gallantly repaired telephone lines at Chu^uk Bair in broad daylight under heavy fire on August 8. 1915. The third was Private Thomas Cooke, of the Australian Imperial Force, a resident of Kaikoura, who has since died. The fourth is BrigadierGeneral B. C. Freyburg, of the Imperil Forces « member of the wellJrnown Wellington family. The fifth holder ot the honor was the late Sergeant Donald Forrester Brown, of Oamaru, for conspicuous gallantry in the Sorome battle.