George Walter SAUNDERSON

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) 327725 George Walter SAUNDERSON Ex 4th UDR. Shot dead by the PIRA at his place of work 10 April 1974 aged 58.
Prior to the outbreak of WW2 he joined aged 18 the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 1944 Royal Irish Fusiliers, 1950 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, then the UDR.
Headmaster of Erne Primary School, Teemore, Derrylin, Co Fermanagh where he was shot dead by six PIRA gunmen at his workplace, as he sat drinking a cup of coffee in a kitchen.
Extract from a newspaper cutting.
He was killed by 20 bullets from two weapons. Some shots penetrated a steel shutter between the kitchen and classrooms, but children in the classes were not injured. The staff were ordered out of the kitchen by two teenage gunmen. As they left one of the girls Miss (Auth, I have with held the name) heard one of the men ask the headmaster his name. When he replied ‘Saunderson’ both opened fire from point blank range. The pupils did not see the murder being committed.
At rest somewhere in County Fermanagh.
He is commemorated on a Tree memorial plaque at the UDR Memorial, Ulster Ash Grove, National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire, England

Supplement to London Gazette dated 24 October 1944
The" undermentioned Cadets to be 2nd Lt
Royal Irish Fusiliers 26th Aug. 1944: —George Walter SAUNDERSON (327725) (not recorded) transferred to the Parachute Regiment.

Supplement to London Gazette dated 21 July 1950
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers .
Lt". George 'Walter SAUNDERSON (327725) from Royal Irish Fusiliers Emerg. Commn., to be Lt., 24th May 1950, with-seniority 18th May 1946

Supplement to London Gazette dated 19 June 1951
Inniskilling Fusiliers. Lt. G. W. SAUNDERSON (327725) to be Capt., 1st May 1951.

Supplement to London Gazette 23 February 1954
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Capt. G. W. SAUNDERSON (327725) from Active List, to be Capt., 31st Dec. 1953, retaining his present seniority.

Supplement to London Gazette 4 February 1966
TERRITORIAL ARMY RESERVE OF OFFICERS
Capt. G. W. SAUNDERSON (327725) having exceeded the age limit ceases to belong to the T.A.
Res. of Offrs., 9th Feb. 1966.

Supplement to London Gazette 17 July 1970 ULSTER DEFENCE REGIMENT
Capt. G. W. SAUNDERSON (327725) (formerly Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers) to be Maj., 1st Apr. 1970.

Supplement to London Gazette 20 March 1973. ULSTER DEFENCE REGIMENT
Maj. G. W. SAUNDEHSON (327725) having exceeded the age limit retires, 11th Jan. 1973.

Supplement to London Gazette 24 July 1973
Maj. G. W. SAUNDERSON (327725) -having exceeded the age limit retires, 11th Jan. 1973, and is granted the rank of Bt. Lt.-Col. (Substituted for the notifn in Gazette (Supplement) dated 20th) Mar. 1973.)

He is commemorated on a plaque beside a tree in the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire, England

Click on udrmbm in Tags box for other connections.