It is fitting that the crew of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s HMNZS Manawanui will be in attendance while in Gisborne (the ship’s home port) for Anzac Day commemorations. Commander Yvonne Gray and members of the ship’s company will present the Kingham and Sanders Cups. The Javelin fleet has offered the ship to be caretakers of the cup on board for photo opportunities.
The club acknowledges event main sponsor Sunshine Brewery, the navy for the part it will play during the event, and Eastland Port who have provided berthage in the inner harbour marina for associated rescue and committee boats.
History of the Cup
The Sanders Cup is named after Lieutenant Commander William Sanders from Auckland’s North Shore, the only New Zealander to have won a Victoria Cross in a naval action.
Lord Jellicoe presented the cup, dedicated to Lieutenant-Commander William E. Sanders who served in the First World War with the Royal Naval Reserve.
In command of the Q-ship Prize, Sanders distinguished himself through leadership and courage in action, earning him the Victoria Cross and also the Distinguished Service Order posthumously, after the Prize was sunk with all crew by a German U-Boat in August 1917.
He volunteered for the submarine decoy vessels known as Q-ships. A desperate ploy to counter the devastating effect of German submarine warfare against British maritime commerce, Q-ships lured German submarines within range of their guns by displaying false colours.
Because many Q-ships were sailing vessels, officers such as Sanders, with experience in sail, were sought after.
Acting Lieutenant Sanders was second in command of the brigantine Helgoland on September 7 and October 24 1916 when it survived attack by U-boats.
In 1917 he was given command of the Prize, a topsail schooner. On April 30 the Prize encountered a U-boat off Ireland. U-93 opened fire and, during 25 minutes of intense shelling, the Prize waited for the submarine to close.
Sanders remained calm throughout the bombardment, crawling along the ship to reassure the crew.
The concealed crew then fired on the submarine, destroying its conning tower. U-93 was last seen on fire and sinking. Only three of the complement were rescued.
Sanders was awarded the Victoria Cross and promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
It was not realised that U-93 had been brought under control by the surviving crew and returned to Germany, giving warning of Prize’s appearance and tactics.
On August 13 1917 the Prize, flying the Swedish flag, was operating off the Irish coast when U-48 was sighted. Initially deceived by the ruse, U-48 approached and was fired on.
The U-boat submerged, stalked the slow-moving Prize and, in the early hours of August 14, torpedoed the ship with the loss of Sanders and all his men.
The yachting trophy and Sanders Memorial Scholarship at the University of Auckland are his memorials. His Victoria Cross, a presentation sword and his uniform cap are held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. A number of streets and reserves are named after LTCDR Sanders in Takapuna, as well as a retirement home in Devonport. The Sanders name is also found on buildings on the Devonport Naval Base.
Those who served with him considered him a natural leader, with an iron nerve and courage, and a contempt for danger befitting the hazardous enterprise of Q-ship command.
