Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War D.S.C. and R.N.L.I. Medal group of three awarded to Lieutenant A. L. Sanderson, Royal Naval Reserve

Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., unnamed, hallmarks for London 1918; British War Medal 1914-20 (Lieut. A. L. Sanderson, R.N.R.); Royal National Lifeboat Institution, G.V.R., silver (Lieut. A. L. Sanderson, R.N.R., voted 12th January 1917) with double-dolphin suspension, good very fine and better (3) £1500-1800

D.S.C. London Gazette 6 April 1918. ‘... in recognition of their services in vessels of the Auxiliary Patrol between 1st January and 31st December 1917.’

Award of the R.N.L.I. Medal: On 29 December 1916 the 2,244 ton SS Alondra was en route from Las Palmas to Liverpool when, in thick fog, she was wrecked on the Kedge Rock, off Baltimore, Co. Cork. Some 16 of her crew attempted to make shore in one of the ship’s boats, but this was upset and all were drowned. When news of the wreck reached the shore, the R.N.L.I’s. Honorary Secretary at Baltimore, Archdeacon Becher, called for volunteers to launch a boat. Using this, Becher attempted to land on the Kedge Rock but this proved impossible and the boat was recalled to Baltimore. When it was seen that a number of those aboard the Alondra had managed to get to the island, another attempt was made, but this was again unsuccessful. With the darkness increasing, rescue efforts were suspended for the night. At daylight on 30 December, Becher put off again, taking with him some of the rocket apparatus gear. At the same time Lieutenant Arthur Sanderson, aboard HM Trawler Indian Empire, and a fisherman, John Beamish, in a second trawler, came to the assistance of the rescued men and communication was established with the shore. Eventually, 23 men were saved by the combined efforts of Sanderson, Becher, Beamish, and their associates, some of the Alondra’s crew having to be lowered down a 150 foot sheer cliff face. On 12 January 1917 the R.N.L.I. voted its silver medal to Sanderson and Becher, an aneroid barometer to John Beamish, and £47 to be divided between the 40 other men who assisted in the rescue efforts.

Arthur Lakeland Sanderson was born on 5 August 1886 at School Cottage, Elwick Hall, Durham. He undertook a four year apprenticeship with the West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Company, completing this in 1909. He gained his Board of Trade certificates of competency as a Second Mate on 4 January 1908, First Mate on 28 May 1909, and Master on 27 April 1911.

With the outbreak of the First World War Sanderson enlisted in the army on 5 September 1914 and was posted as Private 22119 to the 11th Reserve Cavalry Regiment. However, he was discharged on 25 February 1915 as being ‘not likely to become an efficient soldier’.

Despite this inauspicious start to his armed forces career, Sanderson approached the R.N.R. and was commissioned as a Temporary Sub-Lieutenant on 1 April 1915. He undertook a minesweeping course at H.M.S. Vernon later in April, taking command of H.M. Trawler Clifton on 4 May 1915. He was promoted Temporary Lieutenant on 1 August 1915. Sanderson was based at Galway from 1 August 1915, in command of armed trawlers. He then served out of Queenstown, where H.M.S. Colleen was the receiving ship for the Auxiliary Patrol.

As a consequence of assistance he gave while commanding H.M. Trawler Indian Empire to the S.S. Svarvarnat and the S.S. Alondra, Sanderson was commended on 4 January 1917 by the Vice-Admiral at Queenstown for his ‘seamanship, coolness and pluck’. Shortly afterwards, on 23 January 1917, a fire broke out on the Indian Empire and Sanderson was later reprimanded for having allowed naked lights to be used aboard. On 20 February 1917 the 4,270 ton S.S. Messina ran onto rocks near Knockadoon Head, Co Cork. Sanderson came to assist aboard the Indian Empire, together with a number of other vessels. Eventually, on 22 February Petty Officer J.C. Williams, of H.M. Drifter J.E.C.M., assisted by Sanderson, risking being crushed to death, used explosives to shatter the rocks, which allowed the assembled boats to tow the Messina free. Those involved subsequently sought an award of salvage money for their efforts, the resulting case – disputed by the owners – being heard in the High Court of Justice and £2550 was granted to those involved.

On 22 November 1917 Sanderson began to receive treatment for ‘nervous symptoms’ at Haulbowline Hospital. His actions that year with the Auxiliary Patrol were recognised by the award of the Distinguished Service Cross, the official recommendation for which by the C-in-C Coast of Ireland noted him as serving aboard H.M.T. James Johnson and the award as being: ‘For good salvage work & life saving on various occasions under dangerous conditions. Has displayed good seamanship, energy, & promptness of action’ (TNA ref: ADM 171/48). A local newspaper noted the award as being: ‘for special work performed for the Admiralty’. This was followed by a court martial for ‘negligently performing his duty’, at which he was found guilty on two of four charges and severely reprimanded.

Following the end of the war, Sanderson showed signs of further nervous problems and was admitted to Haslar Hospital, where he was diagnosed with ‘neurasthenia’. He was invalided from the service as from 6 June 1919, his intended residence being noted as 46 Bright Street, West Hartlepool and then 64 Barrack Street, Cork. He was permitted to retain his rank while in civilian life. In addition to his D.S.C., Sanderson received the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals for his services. By 1920 he had returned to work in the Merchant Navy and is known to have been employed in the service until the late 1920’s at the very least. Sanderson died at his home in Cork on 1 January 1966.

With comprehensive copied research on paper and C.D.