Hilary Aidan Saint George Saunders

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

MC (14 January 1898 – 16 December 1951) was a British author, born in Clifton near

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

Early life

He was the son of G.W. St George Saunders of Brighton and was educated at

Windlesham House School Windlesham House School is an independent boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 4 to 13 on the South Downs, in Pulborough, West Sussex, England. It was founded in 1837 by Charles Robert Malden and was the first boys' preparatory sc ...

Downside School Downside School (formally The College of St Gregory the Great, Downside but simply referred to as Downside) is an 11–18 mixed, Roman Catholic, independent, day and boarding school in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset, England. It was establish ...

and

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world. With a governing body of a master and aro ...

First World War

During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he commissioned into the

Welsh Guards The Welsh Guards (WLSH GDS; ), part of the Guards and Parachute Division, Guards Division, is one of the Foot guards, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. It was founded in 1915 as a single-battalion regiment, during the World War I, First ...

, and served with 1st battalion on the Western Front. He was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

for an action on 6 November 1918 near

Bavay Bavay () is a commune in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. The town was the seat of the former canton of Bavay. Geography Bavay is located some 20 km east by south-east of Valenciennes and 10 k ...

in northern France. His citation read:

Postwar career

Saunders went by several noms-de-plume: Francis Beeding (writing in tandem with John Palmer), "Barum Browne" (with Geoffrey Dennis), "Cornelius Cofyn" (with John deVere Loder), "David Pilgrim" (with John Palmer), and "John Somers" (with John Palmer). A chronicler of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and biographer of

Robert Baden-Powell Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder of The Boy Scouts Association and its first Chief Scout, and founder, with ...

, Saunders was a recorder on Admiral Mountbatten's staff during World War II. Saunders was

Librarian A librarian is a person who professionally works managing information. Librarians' common activities include providing access to information, conducting research, creating and managing information systems, creating, leading, and evaluating educat ...

of the

House of Commons Library The House of Commons Library is the library and information resource of the lower house of the British Parliament. It was established in 1818, although its original 1828 construction was destroyed during the burning of Parliament in 1834. Th ...

from 1946 to 1950, when he retired because of ill health. Saunders became known during World War II for his books and pamphlets, ''The Battle of Britain'', ''Bomber Command'', ''Coastal Command'', etc., which he wrote officially and anonymously for the Government, and subsequently for ''The Red Beret'' and ''The Green Beret''. A wartime visit to America for the Ministry of Information was the subject of his ''Pioneers! O Pioneers!'' ''The Sleeping Bacchus'' is his scarce first and only novel, the story of an art robbery. Saunders was also a postwar commentator on the

scouting Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...

movements during World War II, chronicled in ''The Left Handshake'', written in 1948.

Works

* ''The Hidden Kingdom'' (1927) with John Palmer as Francis Beeding * '' The House of Dr. Edwardes'' (1927) with John Palmer as Francis Beeding * ''Death Walks in Eastrepps'' (1931) with John Palmer as Francis Beeding * ''The One Sane Man'' (1934) with John Palmer as Francis Beeding * ''So Great A Man'' (1937) with John Palmer as David Pilgrim - historical novel about

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

. * ''No Common Glory'' (1941) with John Palmer as David Pilgrim - historical novelabout the adventures of one of Charles II's illegitimate sons. * ''The Grand Design'' (1943) with John Palmer as David Pilgrim -sequel to ''No Common Glory'' * ''Pioneers! O Pioneers!'' (1944) * ''Per Ardua: The Rise of British Air Power, 1911–1939'' (1945) * * ''The Green Beret: The Story of the Commandos, Combined Operations, 1940–1945'' (1949) * ''The Red Beret'' (1950) * ''The Middlesex Hospital'' (1950) * ''The Sleeping Bacchus'' (1951)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Saunders, Hilary Saint George 1898 births 1951 deaths Military personnel from Bristol Welsh Guards officers People associated with Scouting Recipients of the Military Cross British Army personnel of World War I Scouting and Guiding in the United Kingdom British military writers People educated at Windlesham House School People educated at Downside School Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford English historical novelists Writers of historical fiction set in the early modern period Writers of historical fiction set in the modern age Commanders_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire