Campaign Groups and Pairs

Three: Leading Seaman Lambert Saunders, Royal Navy, who was twice Mentioned in Despatches for services in H.M. Submarine Upholder and died when Upholder was sunk with all hands by an Italian torpedo boat in April 1942; the most successful British submarine in the Second World War, her skipper, Lieutenant-Commander M. D. Wanklyn was decorated with the V.C., D.S.O. and 2 Bars 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, in named card box of issue addressed to his mother ‘Mrs R. Hogg, Altrincham, Cheshire’, with named Admiralty enclosure (Lambert Saunders), a cap tally for H.M.S. Adventure, and related 1914-15 Star trio to his step-father (3359 Pte. D. Hogg. D. of Lanc. O.Y.) these with named lids of card boxes of issue, extremely fine (6) £400-£500 --- M.I.D. London Gazette 2 September 1941 - War Patrols from January to May 1941; Wanklyn awarded his first D.S.O., one D.S.C., four D.S.M’s and four mentions to other crew members, including Able Seaman Lambert Saunders D/JX 147943. M.I.D. London Gazette 16 December 1941 - Mediterranean War Patrols from May to October 1941; Wanklyn awarded the Victoria Cross, one D.S.C., three D.S.M’s and six mentions to other crew members, including Able Seaman Lambert Saunders D/JX 147943. Leading Seaman Lambert Saunders died on 18 April 1942 when H.M. Submarine Upholder was sunk with all hands by the Italian torpedo boat Pegaso. When, on 22 August 1942, the Admiralty announced her loss, the communiqué carried with it an unusual tribute to Wanklyn and his men: "It is seldom proper for Their Lordships to draw distinction between different services rendered in the course of naval duty, but they take this opportunity of singling out those of H.M.S. Upholder, under the command of Lt.Cdr. David Wanklyn, for special mention. She was long employed against enemy communications in the Central Mediterranean, and she became noted for the uniformly high quality of her services in that arduous and dangerous duty. Such was the standard of skill and daring set by Lt.Cdr. Wanklyn and the officers and men under him that they and their ship became an inspiration not only to their own flotilla, but to the Fleet of which it was a part and to Malta, where for so long H.M.S. Upholder was based. The ship and her company are gone, but the example and inspiration remain." In all, Upholder was credited with having sunk 97,000 tons of enemy shipping, in addition to three U-boats and one destroyer.