Albert Saunders

Born: 20 May 1896

Died: 12 October 1916

Rank and Regiment: Private 17191 in the 7th Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment

Resting Place: Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligny-Thilloy, Pas de Calais, France - Grave No. IV. C. 12

Memorial: St. Peter’s, Reymerston, United Kingdom

Albert was born on 20 May 1896. He was the son of John and Louisa Saunders of Blackwater, Reymerston. He was baptised at Reymerston Church on 5 July 1896.

He is recorded as attending Hardingham School from 28 April 1908 to 28 June 1909, leaving to go into agricultural work, but by the time of the 1911 Census he was working as an auxiliary postman.

He enlisted in Norwich aged 19 on 7 December 1914, joining the Norfolk Regiment (7th Battalion) as a Private (17191).

He was posted to France on 23 June 1915, and six months later received a Christmas gift from the authorities – his military records note on 26 December 1915 “To pay for loss of 1 pair Trench Gloves – 1/6”.

He sustained a sprained right ankle on 12 February 1916 which was sufficiently severe for him to be sent to a Casualty Clearing Station.

He was killed in action on 12 October 1916 in France, aged 21 at the battle of the Somme. He was one of the few to be identified for burial – his body was “found in front of the sunken road at Guedecourt”. At the Battle of Le Transloy (1–28 October) and in local operations in November, Gueudecourt was used as a jumping-off point. In the winter of 1916–1917 the area was held by the I Anzac Corps, which considered the conditions around the village to be the worst on the Somme front. 

Albert Saunders is buried at Beaulencourt British cemetery in Ligny-Thilloy, Pas de Calais, France (Grave No. IV).

Beaulencourt British Cemetery, France