Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, KB

From http://www.westminster-abbey.org/our-history/people/sir-charles-sau...

Admiral Sir Charles Saunders was possibly the son of James Saunders of Bridgewater in Somerset. He entered the Royal Navy in 1727 and served under Captain Anson in his voyage around the world. In 1750 he became a Member of Parliament for Plymouth and the following year married a daughter of James Buck but there were no children. In 1755 he was Comptroller of the Navy and in 1759 commanded a fleet in the expedition against Quebec, under General James Wolfe, successfully navigating the treacherous St Lawrence river. He helped stop supplies reaching the French garrison and was instrumental in securing the British victory. Promoted Admiral in 1770 and made a Knight of the Order of the Bath, he died in London on 7 December 1775 and was buried in the lower Islip chapel in Westminster Abbey, not far from Wolfe's memorial.

It was not until 4 November 1930 that a gravestone was unveiled for him, presented on behalf of the Canadian government. The stone can be viewed through the stone screen of this chapel. The inscription reads:

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR CHARLES SAUNDERS K.B. ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE AND LIEUTENANT GENERAL OF MARINES. BORN 1713. DIED 1775. COMMANDING THE BRITISH NAVAL FORCES QUEBEC 1759.

A photograph of the stone can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.

Further reading:

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Saunders_(Royal_Navy_officer)

Admiral Sir Charles Saunders, KB (c. 1715 – 7 December 1775) was a Royal Navy officer in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and later served as First Lord of the Admiralty. He was appointed to the Privy Council in 1766.

Early career

Saunders joined the Royal Navy in 1727. He later commanded HMS Gloucester and then HMS Yarmouth. He was Member of Parliament for the Devon port (and major Royal Navy base) of Plymouth from 1750 to 1754 and then represented the Yorkshire borough of Hedon from 1754 until his death. In December 1755 he was made comptroller of the navy and in January 1756 and was sent to Gibraltar as Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet. In January 1757 he became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet. He held the post until May 1757.

Seven Years war

He commanded the fleet which brought James Wolfe to Quebec in 1759 and consolidated the dead general's victory after the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

In April 1760 he resumed his role as Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet and blockaded Cadiz preventing the French and Spanish fleets from sailing.

Cape Saunders, on the Otago coast of New Zealand, was named in his honour by Captain James Cook, who had served under Saunders in Canada.