Ashtead War Memorials - WWII - AB Victor Lewis Saunders
Royal Navy

On the War Memorial at St George's, Ashtead his inscription is 'V F Saunders' - errors on memorials are by no means unusual.

Name: SAUNDERS, VICTOR LEWIS

Initials: V L
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. Argus.
Date of Death: 24/01/1942
Service No: P/JX199232
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. F. Grave 178.
Cemetery: EPSOM CEMETERY
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2434469/

The Epsom and Ewell History Explorer website has researched this casualty who is buried in Epsom Cemetery. We are grateful to Roger Morgan and Brian Bouchard.
http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/WW2BookS.html#SaundersVL

HMS Argus, an aircraft carrier which had a long career in the Royal Navy at the forefront in the early years of naval aviation development and took part in some historically important convoys to Russia and Malta.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Argus_(I49)

What of the Ashtead connection? By 1932 the family had come to be resident in 35 Middle Lane, Epsom, and between 1935 and 1938, in 34 Middle Lane. The 1939 Register, however, has their address as 25 Oakhill Road, Ashtead. Also listed were Victor's two sisters Joan (born 2 June 1922, reg. Epsom 6/1922) & Mary E (born 5 March 1930, reg. Epsom 3/1930. Joseph and Victor were described as builder's labourers.

Having enlisted in the Royal Navy, Victor died in the EMS Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales. This was part of Cardiff City Asylum turned over to the military to become the largest emergency service hospital in South Wales. Able Seaman Saunders succumbed to Acute Meningitis and Osteomyelitis of the frontal bone on 24 January 1942.The death of Mrs Elizabeth L Saunders was registered in Surrey Mid E District for the September Quarter of 1958.

As in many cases the family might have decided that they wanted to be near to where their serviceman or woman was commemorated.

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page added 26 Mar 2018