AN AUCKLAND V.C.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16575, 26 June 1917, Page 4

AN AUCKLAND V.C.

LIEUT-COMMANDER SANDERS

CAREER IN COASTAL SHIPS.

OFFICER OF UNION COMPANY.

The award of the Victoria Cross to Lieu-tenant-Commander Sanders, Royal Naval Reserve, an Aucklander, was announced in a cable published in the Herald yester day. He is the eldest sou of Mr. and Mrs. E. H. C. Sanders, of Takapuna, and is aged 35. The record of the deed which won the Victoria Cross is withheld for the present, but it is believed it was won during one of the most brilliant of the minor engagements of the war.

Lieutenant-Commander William Edward Sanders was born in Auckland, and was educated at Nelson Street School. After completing his education he started his sea career in the small steamer Kapanui, running out of Auckland. His next ship was the Government steamer Hinemoa. After leaving the Hinemoa young Sanders joined one of the Craig line of sailing vessels. He passed as second mate and then as first mate, and was first mate of the Joseph Craig when that vessel ran on to Rough Rock, near Cheltenham Beach. Not much damage was done, and the vessel left Auckland for Kaipara, where she loaded timber for Australia. It was while leaving Kaioara for Melbourne that the vessel ran ashore inside the Kaipara Bar and became a total wreck. The crew, of which San. dera was one, had a narrow escape, getting ashore in one of the ship's boats just before the vessel commenced to break up. Sanders next went to Sydney, where he passed for extra master, and some time afterwards joined the Union Steam Ship Company. He was with the Union Company for about a year as third officer of the Willochra and on the Tofua.

When the war broke out, Mr. Sanders offered his services to the Admiralty, but was not called on until about 18 months ago. He left New Zealand as extra officer on a steamer bound for England, and reported himself to the Admiralty. He was sent aboard a warship with the rank of sub-lieutenant. He quickly gained promotion and within a little over a year was gazetted lieutenant-commander. He was twice recommended for decoration by his admiral.

_ Lieutenant-Commander Sanders's father is at present in the Auckland Hospital recovering from an operation. Licutenant-Comraanden Sanders is the second Aucklander to win the Victoria Cross during the present war. The other Aucklander is Sergeant C. R. G. Bassett, serving in the Engineers. It was on August 8, 1915, during the attack on Chunuk Bair on Galhpoli, that he performed the deeds which gained for him the honour. The telephone line connectting the men on the crest with headquarters was cut by the enemy's fire, and several times Bassett went out under the heaviest of fire and in full daylight and repaired the breaks. By his . splendid devotion to duty communication was main-1 tained.

Captain W. J. Hardham, of the Wellington Mqunted Rifles, was the only other member of the New Zealand force on Gallipoli who held the V.O. He won the distinction in' the South African war.

The last award of the V.C. announced was to the late Sergeant Donald Forrester Brown, of Oamaru, for gallantry in the Somme battle.