William Edward Sanders (7 February 1883 – 14 August 1917) was a First World War New Zealand recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that could be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces at the time.
Born in Auckland, Sanders took up a seafaring career in 1899. He initially worked aboard steamships before transferring to sailing ships to enhance his career prospects. Sanders earned a master's certificate in late 1914, following the outbreak of the First World War. He then served aboard troopships in the Merchant Navy until April 1916, when he was commissioned in the Royal Naval Reserve. He completed his military training in the United Kingdom, after which he served aboard Helgoland, a Q-ship that operated against German submarines. His performance on his first two patrols earned him his own command, , in February 1917.
Sanders was awarded the VC for his actions while on his first patrol as captain, when Prize engaged and drove off a German U-boat that had earlier attacked and damaged his ship. He was killed in action during Prizes fourth patrol when a U-boat sank his ship. His VC, the first and only such medal to be awarded to a New Zealander serving with a naval force, was presented to his father and is held by the Auckland War Memorial Museum. There are several tributes to Sanders, including the Sanders Memorial Cup, a sailing trophy for yachts.
Early life
William Edward Sanders was born in the Auckland suburb of Kingsland on 7 February 1883. His father, Edward Helman Cook Sanders, was a bootmaker, who with his wife Emma Jane Sanders (née Wilson), would have three more children. William's maternal grandfather was a sea captain and worked for the family's shipping company.
Sanders attended Nelson Street School until 1894, when his family moved to Takapuna. He shifted to Takapuna School, which was close to Lake Pupuke, where he learned to sail. He earned the nickname "Gunner Billy" for his exploits with a small cannon that a classmate brought to school. He left school at the age of 15 and, at the urging of his parents, was apprenticed to a mercer in Auckland's Queen Street. He was not particularly interested in the trade and, desiring a career at sea, would go down to the wharves to inspect the berthed ships and chat with their captains and crewmen.
In 1899, Sanders became aware of a vacancy for a cabin boy aboard Kapanui, a steamer that worked the coast north of Auckland. An officer on the ship was an acquaintance and had given Sanders the tip that a position was available. Sanders promptly applied to join the vessel and was the successful applicant. He remained with the company that operated Kapanui for three years. In 1902 he joined Aparima, operated by the Union Steam Ship Company, which traded between New Zealand and India. In 1906, as an ordinary seaman, he transferred to , a government steamer servicing lighthouses along the New Zealand coast and depots on offshore islands.
With his seafaring career to date spent working on steamships, Sanders decided to gain experience under sail with the Craig Line. At the time, steam was looked down upon by seafarers, sailors being regarded as more skillful. From 1910, Sanders sailed on a series of vessels and by 1914, after taking his mate's certificates, he was mate of the barque Joseph Craig. On 7 August 1914, the ship foundered on the Hokianga bar and Sanders took charge of a small boat to seek help. He appeared at the inquest held at Auckland into her sinking, the blame for which was placed on the master.
First World War
During the early part of the First World War, Sanders worked as second mate on Moeraki. He also sat for his master's certificate, passing with honours on 7 November 1914. He was discharged from Moeraki in December and applied for the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR). However, he was not called up and in the interim served as a Merchant Navy officer on the troopships Willochra and Tofua. After Sanders' repeated pleas to authorities, eventually in June 1915 the New Zealand High Commissioner wrote to the Admiralty in support of his efforts to join the RNR. This advocacy was presumably successful for in December 1915 he found passage on a steamer bound to Glasgow via the Atlantic. He reached the United Kingdom on 17 April 1916 and made his way to London where, two days after his arrival, he was appointed an acting sub-lieutenant in the RNR.