THE NEWEST V.C.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 July 1917, Page 5

THE NEWEST V.C.

CAREER OF RECIPIENT. VARIED MARINE EXPERIENCE. Lieut.-Commander William Edward Sanders, R.N.R., who has been awarded the Victoria Cross, is 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 m years of age. He was born in Auckland, and as a boy was a pupil of tho Kelson street School, and has bis first experience of the sea on the small coastal steamers TCotiti and Apararaa. Afterwards he served upon the Government steamer Hinemoa, and then joined one of the Criag line of sailing vessels. In due course he passed as second mate, and then v 3 first wne «ervinp aboard the Joseph Craig when the latter was totally wrecked inside the Kaipara Bar. With tho rest of the crew he got ashore in one of the boats just before the vessel broke wp, and nearly lost his life in doing so. Afterwards he went to Sydney, where he nasced for cstra master, and .joined the -Union Company's fleet. He .was emp'oved on the Willochra and Tofua prior to the outbreak of -war, <ri.*n he offered his services to the Admiralty. Tie was not nailed up for service till fullv 18 months afterwards, ""+ lr 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 lieutenantcommander, but apart from these facts practicallv nothing is knetwn of us services or the nature of the work upon which he has been engaged. No particulars of the deed for which he received the V.C have been made ipulbhc, but the cable on the subject published this week stated that he was believed to have won the decoration during ono of the most 'brilliant the minor engagements <xf the war."