Saunders, Ernest John

Title

Saunders, Ernest John
E J Saunders
Sam Saunders

Description

Nine items. The collection concerns Ernest John Saunders (924532 Royal Air Force) and consists of his log book, photographs and correspondence as well as two photograph albums of his service and family life. He flew operations as a navigator in North Africa in 1942 with 40 Squadron and with Bomber Command in 1943 - 1944 with 692 and 128 Squadron on Mosquito.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Penelope Thicket and catalogued by Barry Hunter.

Date

2020-02-13

Publisher

IBCC Digital Archive

Rights

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

Identifier

Saunders, EJ

Collection Items

627 Squadron and Mosquito
A squadron photograph with them men grouped in two rows in front of a Mosquito.
A second uncropped image is also included. Captioned 'It's January 1944, RAF number 924532, Flight Lieutenant Navigator Ernest John Saunders, later to become DSO, DFC…

EJ Saunders
A biography written by his daughter about her father. It describes his early years but mainly his time in the RAF.
Photo 1 is of EJ Saunders.
Photo 2 is EJ Saunders cycling on an egg and spoon race.
Photo 3 is his Mother, Francis and…

Sam Saunders, Training in Canada
Two printed sheets with six photographs.
The text describes his early training then transfer to Canada learning on Ansons in the snow.
Photo 1 is Sam standing in the snow outside a hut.
Photo 2 is a ship.
Photo 3 is Sam and friend leaning on an…

Sam Saunders, Training in Canada
The text contains some detail of Sam Saunders' training in Canada.
Photo 1 is annotated 'Our First Aeroplane January 1941'. It is an Anson with a group of 42 airmen arranged in front.
Photo 2 is the backs of 11 or so airmen in a classroom.
Photo…

Sam Saunders Training in Canada
Sam at work and play in the snow.
Photo 1 is Sam at the navigator's station on an Anson.
Photo 2 and 4 snowy landscapes from an Anson.
Photo 3 is an air to air of the starboard side of an Anson.
Photo 5 is an ice hockey team resting.
Photo 6 is…

Sam Saunders, Graduation and Further Training
Sam's graduation ceremony then further training on Battles and Astro on Ansons.
Photo 1 and 2 are the menu for the graduation meal.
Photo 3 is the ticket for the graduation dance.
Photo 4 is the tables set for the graduation meal.
Photo 5 is the…

Sam Saunders, Astronomical Navigator and Hospital Patient
Photo 1 is 'The "Bright" Class', 14 graduates of the Astro course at Rivers.
Photo 2 is Sam in hospital.
Photo 3 is six men and two nurses sat on an ambulance.
Photo 4 is Sam smoking a pipe looking out from his bed.
Photo 5 is Sam on a…

Sam Saunders on vacation and returning home
Sam on vacation with women, bears and Vancouver then returning home on a ship.
Photo 1, 2 and 3 are views of the Rockies.
Photo 4 is Vancouver.
Photo 5 is Sam looking at a bear.
Photo 6 is a native Canadian totem pole.
Photo 7, 8 and 10 are of…

Sam Saunder's UK Training and Malta
A description of Sam's further training in the UK then operations at Malta.
Photo 1 is an informal group photograph with airmen, two WAAFs and three dummies.
Photo 2 is an air-to-air view of a Wellington.

Sam Saunders in Egypt
Two pages detailing some of Sam's time in Egypt.
Photo 1 is HMS Sagitta from the air.
Photo 2, 3 and 4 are Sam working on a lamp.
Photo 5 is Sam playing tennis.
Photo 6 is Sam and colleague in khaki and shorts.
Photo 7 is a letter in…

Sam Saunder's Operations
Some details about operations carried out by Sam after he transferred to 40 squadron.
Photo 1 is a vertical aerial photograph partly obscured by tracer fire.
Photo 2 is the 40 squadron crest.
Photo 3 is Sam in shorts and tee shirt in front of a…

Sam Saunders in Egypt
These pages are mostly biography of Sam's time in Egypt and his time with transport aircraft in the Mediterranean region.
Photos 1, 2 and 3 are scenes from Cairo.
Photo 4 is a side head and shoulders profile of Sam.
Photo 5 is a Battle aircraft in…

Sam Saunders 627 Squadron
After a spell with 512 squadron mostly transportation flights Sam returned to the UK, flying as an instructor.
A the end of 1943 he returned to Bomber Command, 627 Squadron.
There is a photograph of the squadron grouped in front of a Mosquito.

Sam Saunders 692 Squadron
Details of Sam's operations with 692 squadron, mainly against German cities.
There is a photograph of the squadron arranged in front of two Mosquitoes.

Sam Saunders 128 Squadron
Details of Sam's time with 128 Squadron at RAF Wyton and RAF White Waltham.
There is a photo of Arthur Harris giving the salute.

Sam Saunders Final Flights
Details of Sam's citation for his DSO, further training in Navigation and as an instructor. He then returned to transport in the Mediterranean. His last flight was from Malta to Cairo.
There are three photographs of his wife.

Sam Saunders and Wife
Sam and his wife photographed just after they got married.

Album Cover
Cover of Sam Saunders's album.

Sam Saunders in the snow
A three quarter length portrait of Sam standing in the snow with a hut behind. On the reverse 'Sam Saunders [handwritten] Snapshot Taylor Made Service Processed Jan 22 1941' and '£16. 1/50 7 fr'.

Sam Saunders and Wag
Sam and Wag dressed in Sidcot suits, standing in front of an Anson. On the reverse 'Wag and I'.

Sam Saunders Studying
Two airmen studying at desks.

Sam Saunders and Arthur
Two airmen in Sidcot suits, leaning on an Anson. On the reverse' Arthur and I'.

Sam Saunder's DSO details
A cutting from the London Gazette with brief details on the award of a DSO to Sam Saunders.

Telegram to Sam Saunders DFC
A telegram congratulating Sam being awarded a Distinguished Service Order

Man with Two Women
A man walking with two women along the middle of a road.
View all 117 items

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