Frederick Saunders

Medals awarded

  • India General Service Medal 1908-35 with clasp: Afghanistan NWF 1919

Frederick J Saunders was born in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire in 1892. He enlisted, aged 19 years and one month in Enfield, with the regimental number 9829.

The Enlistment Register records that he was 5 feet 6 inches tall with a fresh complexion, brown hair and brown eyes. He had a distinguishing scar on the tip of his second finger on his left hand. His occupation prior to enlisting was noted as a factory hand. It was recorded that he had no previous military experience.

Frederick served with the regiment’s 1st Battalion. During the First World War Frederick was stationed in India. He fought with the battalion during the 3rd Afghan War of 1919. The campaign itself had few set-piece battles but skirmishes with the enemy during the 5 months of the campaign did result in three officers being killed in action with six other ranks, as well as many hospitalised because of wounds.

Saunders was still serving with the Green Howards when his campaign medal was awarded in 1920, with a new regimental number of 4379410. Frederick died in 1968.