SAUNDERS, John George


No.12103, Private, John George SAUNDERS
Aged 46


7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on 7th August 1916


John George Saunders was born in Pakenham (1st qtr 1870 Thingoe 4a:524) son of James and Mary Ann SAUNDERS (née HAILSTONE). Baptised in St.Mary's, Pakwnham on 5th June 1870.

1871 census...Aged 1, he was at Barton Road, Pakenham with his father James SAUNDERS [39] farm labourer; his mother Mary Ann [25]; brother James [2], grandfather widower George HAILSTONE [70] and widower uncle William HAILSTONE [34] both farm labourers. All were born in Pakenham.

1881 census...Aged 11, he was at Windmill Road, Pakenham with his parents, brothers James(labourer) and William [9] and sister Emma [7]

1891 census...Aged 21, a labourer, he was at Bridge Road, Pakenham with his widowed mother. His father had died in 1889.

1901 census...Aged 31, a farm labourer, he was at Bury Road, Pakenham with his mother and brother James (farm labourer).

He married Frances Mabel GOOLD [22-10-1891] in 1909.

1911 census...Aged 41, a farm labourer, he was at Thetford Road, Ixworth, with his wife Frances [22] born Winfarthing, Norfolk and sister in law Hilda GOOLD [7] born Wortham. Their daughter Bertha Roma was born in Pakenham on 1st June 1911.

On the pension card his widow and daughter were at Grimstone End, Pakenham.

His brother James was killed in 1915 in Belgium see here.


He enlisted in Ixworth.
The war diary for the 7th Suffolks on 7th August 1916 has:-
Took over trenches west of Pozieres from 9th R Fusiliers. Berkshires on left and 15th Battalion Australian Infantry on right.
10 am left BOUZINGCOURT.
4 pm Relief completed. Relief got on without being shelled. 4 pm Enemy shelled our communication trenches heavily and continued, with a short break at 7 am, throughout the night.




John Saunders is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme pier/face 1C/2A

Click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details.


BACK