Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Sergeant

Unit:

Secret Intelligence Service (SIS/MI6), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), War Office, British Government

Awarded on:

December 20th, 1945

Citation:
"Sgt. SAUNDERS came as political refugee to the United Kingdom in February, 1939, having been in danger of persecution by the Nazis. He volunteerd to join the R.A.F., but could not on account of his nationality. He finally enlisted in the Pioneer Corps, but as this did not afford him an opportunity to strike a pesonal blow against the Nazi regime, he volunteerd for the mission which forms the subject of this citation, well knowing what fate to expect if he fell into German hands.
In March, 1945, he set out to penetrate the German lines near WESEL. He undertook this mission in German uniform, carrying W/T equipment and after successfully making a most dangerous crossing of the Rhine, he set out for his destination, near ESSEN, making the journey partly on foot and partly by train, passing controls on roads and railways. The hazards of this journey were greatly increased by the severity of the German controls on individual soldiers proceeding from west to east and SAUNDERS ran constant risk of detection and certain death. He reached his objective and remained in hiding there for several days, but was unable for technical reasons to establish W/T contact with his H.Q. He decided to return to the British lines to report the valuable tactical information he had collected. During the return journey he was arrested by a German field gendarme and subjected to a rigorous cross-examination by the Officer Commanding the Gendarmerie post. With remarkable coolness and audacity he countered the many questions put to him, knowing that one slip would have cost him his life. He succeeded in regaining his own lines and delivered information of the highest importance."