On the longest day I reflect on the day in November when we stand for a minutes silence after reciting : ‘At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember’ Who do you think about when you hear these words? I think of my Great Uncle David Saunders. I think of him often. I have a couple of pictures of him as a child on my kitchen wall so that every day I can reflect upon his life - a life cut short - and its significance. More than thirty years ago I fell heir to his legacy, taking charge of the letters and photographs which were all that remained of him. Over the years I have tried on many occasions to fill in the gaps of the life of this man I never met. Next year will be the centenary of his birth (31st July 1923) and with a combination of chance and improved technology, I am now able to curate his legacy to an acceptable standard. The full story will never be known, but enough pieces of the jigsaw are now in place for a picture to be built up. David left two photograph albums from 1943, while on HM LCI 185. There are photographs of his shipmates, and of the campaigns during that year. There may be other relatives who could identify their ancestors in these pictures. It is so sad that so many men are lost, some forgotten no doubt. It feels to me that their lives were sold cheaply. As time goes on I shall publish the photographs and the letters on this website. These serve as a legacy to David Saunders but also to all those who served alongside him.
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