Hon. David M. Wells: Honourable senators, today I rise to pay tribute to William “Bill” Saunders, who served in the British Royal Navy during the Second World War and was a pillar of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 1 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. After a long life of dedicated service, Bill Saunders passed away at the age of 101.

At 18 years old, Bill joined the navy and served from May 1940 to July 1946. He was a ship’s gunner during the war, including the D-Day Allied invasion of Normandy, and was in the convoy when the first Allied vessels arrived to liberate Hong Kong in August 1945.

Bill followed in the footsteps of his father, William Saunders Sr., who was a member of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during World War I and fought in the Battle of the Somme.

Bill joined the Royal Canadian Legion in 1949 and served as their Sergeant-at-Arms until he was 98. As its longest-serving member, Bill spent almost every day at the Legion Branch 1 and was always around for a chat or to give advice. As a mentor to many young men and women, Bill is remembered as a quiet personality who loved reading and sharing his knowledge with others.

As Branch 1 President Colin Patey said:

If you needed to know something, Bill was the one to go to because he had either seen it, done it or could tell you which direction to go in.

As part of his volunteer work, Bill helped advocate for the needs of the elderly veterans confined to their homes and was instrumental in bringing to schools educational programming around remembrance.

His photo hangs on the wall at the entrance to the Legion Branch 1 members’ lounge in St. John’s. It was Bill Saunders and people like him who helped to protect our freedoms and the way of life we enjoy today.

Bill is predeceased by his wife, Elizabeth Brenda. They were married for 69 years. He is remembered by his community and his loving family: three devoted children, Denise, Diane and David; as well as his three grandchildren, Jennifer, Rhys and Stephanie; his sister, Jean Chafe; as well as nieces and nephews. And, of course, a legion of friends.