Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War ‘Italian Campaign’ M.C. group of six attributed to Captain I. R. Saunders, The Queen’s Bays

Military Cross, G.VI.R. reverse officially dated ‘1945’, additionally inscribed, ‘Lt. I. R. Saunders, The Queen’s Bay’, in W.W.1 period M.C. case; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, these unnamed, good very fine and better (6) £500-600

M.C. London Gazette 23 August 1945.

Recommendation reads: 'On the morning of 17th April 1945, Lieutenant Saunders, The Queens Bays was in command of a troop of tanks supporting "D" Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's).

The task allotted to this force was the enlargement of, and exploitation from, the small bridgehead over the Marina Canal - an area dominated by enemy tanks and assault guns. Two out of the four of the tanks supporting the Companies which had secured the original bridgehead had been knocked out and any movement drew immediate fire. Despite this adverse state of affairs, this officer manoeuvred his troop into fire positions from which he harassed the enemy all day, knocking out at least two enemy tanks and killing a number of infantry, causing others to surrender.

During this time every one of the tanks under his command was hit at least once by a solid shot. T

There is no doubt, that but for his courage, skill and determination, not one of his tanks would have arrived intact on the objective, thereby leaving the infantry open to an extremely probable counter-attack. His advance under fire from tanks and assault guns for a distance of fifteen hundred yards enabled the infantry to carry out their appointed task with every success and resulted in the final break through of the defences of the Argenta Gap. Lieutenant Saunders' personal bearing was an inspiration, not only to his own men, but also to the infantry which his troop was supporting.'

lan Robert Saunders was born c.1921. Granted a Regular Army Emergency Commission in the Royal Armoured Corps with effect on 21 March 1942 and was promoted to War Substantive Lieutenant in October 1942. As a (Pensioned) Captain in the Queen's Bays, he died on 7 January 1949, aged 28 years. His last address being 'Little Meggs, Chewton Common, Highcliffe, Christchurch. With a fragment of a War Office letter of Thanks for his Services, which bears his name, in which he was granted the honorary rank of Captain; an invitation card to the Annual Dinner of the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars 1951; copied recommendation; death certificate and some other research.