Family :

Education & Career :

He went to Marlborough College (C1) before going up to Jesus College Cambridge. After coming down he went into the City becoming a Stockbroker at the London Stock Exchange. His portrait image, as 2nd Lieutenant, is sourced, with his name referenced in the archives of Marlborough College.

Jesus College, Cambridge states in page 36 of the College's Society Annual Report of 1917, that he was: "Much interested in movements for the welfare of boys, he was the first scoutmaster in Northumberland". He studied and took papers in Theology.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

Lieutenant Geoffrey Euen SANDERSON 9th Royal Rifles.107th Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). Killed in action 1st July, 1916

Marlborough College biography reads: "He was constantly in the trenches for 9 months, until the beginning of the great push at the Southern end of the British line on the 1st July 1916. His Brigade attacked at 7.30 in the morning. About 3.30 in the afternoon the right flank was being bombed by the Germans, and his men had run short of bombs. He seized a rifle from a man and called out to the men to charge. He rushed forward, leaned round and waved to the men and immediately afterwards fell dead."

The Newcastle Journal of Saturday, 15th July 1916 and Morpeth Herald of 21st July, 1917 bring similar accounts of his death:- "The Death of Lieut E. Sanderson. The King and Queen have sent the following telegram to Alderman and Mrs W. J. Sanderson of Eastfield Hall, Warkworth, expressing their sympathy at the death of their son Lieut Euan Sanderson, of a Brigade Machine [Gun] Company, who was killed in action on July 1- The King and Queen are deeply grieved to hear that you have lost another son in the service of his country. Their Majesties offer you their heartfelt sympathy in your fresh sorrow. The following is an extract from a letter sent by Lieut-Colonel Crozier: It was our luck to have him detailed as Machine-gun Officer to accompany the Battalion in the advance, and magnificently he did his work. Captain Montgomery, who was closely in touch with your son all day, reports that both he and his party and gun were wiped out at about 4.15 pm, whilst gallantly holding an important point, and previous to this he had done an extraordinary amount of magnificent work, and had inflicted heavy loss on the enemy, and that his tactics throughout had been absolutely sound. He will be a great loss to the brigade in particular and the Army in general. The Rev. John Knowles, chaplain, sent the appended letter: I have learned from the C.O. of his company and others who saw him that he died a most heroic death leading his men right up to the enemy's line in the face of the murderous fire. I have known your son intimately, since I joined the division in September last. I have always had the highest opinion of him as a man and officer. It was a pleasure to meet and converse with some one so broad minded, and with an intelligent grasp of many subjects. I shall miss him very much, and I deeply regret that such a promising life should have been cut of so soon. He is deeply lamented by all the officers and men, with both of whom he was a great favourite. Deceased's brother, Captain Noel Sanderson was killed in Gallipoli on April 26th."

Probate SAMDERSON Geoffrey Evan of 2 Mitre-court-buildings Temple London died 1 July 1916 in France killed in action Probate London 10 August to William John Sanderson barrister-at-law. Effects £646 6s. 7d.

As well as the Thiepval Memorial he is further commemorated on the Marlborough School Roll of Honour, the Warkworth War Memorial and that of the London Stock Exchange, amongst others. His name alos appears on a wall plaque in the Parish Church of St. Lawrence, Warkworth, Northumberland.

Masonic :

He was initiated into Isaac Newton University Lodge No. 859 at Cambridge in 1907, whilst he was an under-graduate. He was 18, the youngest age that he would have been able to join Freemasonry. He resigned the lodge 10th September, 1912 and is therefore not listed as a Casualty on its roll.

He joined Alnwick Lodge, 4th October, 1911 being named Geoffrey "Ewen," citing L859 as previous lodge. He has "none" as occupation and resident at Warkworth. He is shown to be "Killed in Action 1st July, 1916."

He further joined Welcome Lodge, 20th November 1912, listed as a Stockbroker and resident at Temple. The contribution record shows him, "Resd 19th Nov 1913, (a year) but another comment of "Rejoined 16th Apl '19," which can only be incorrect or noted against the wrong person.

Discrepancies (Require checks, clarity or further research) :

There are three different spellings of this second forename. Army records list him ?Evan?; CWGC records list him as ?Evian?, the UGL Roll of Honour list ?Euan?
and lodges note him with ?Ewen?.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley