The Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame members Great War pair awarded to Distinguished Service Cross and Air Force Cross recipient Captain K.F. Saunders, Royal Naval Air Service later Royal Air Force who having trained at the Wright Company’s Flying School in Dayton, Ohio would travel to England at his own expense to join Britain’s growing air service. He would graduate as a Lieutenant in The Royal Naval Air Service and would go on Naval patrols using a Sopwith Pup in a series of experimental landings on an improvised carrier deck. He would be decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross in the London Gazette of 1st May 1918 and the Air Force Cross in the London Gazette of 2nd November 1918. After the war he would return to Canada operating as a Test Pilot and Aerial Photographer for Fairchild Aerial Surveys of Canada and later Canadian Airways Ltd. He would finish his career in aviation as an Inspector for the Canadian Department of Transport a role he would hold until his retirement. During his career he had spent a great amount of his time Bush flying around communities in Eastern Canada and Hudson Bay.
Pair: British War Medal and Victory Medal; (CAPT. K.F. SAUNDERS. R.A.F.) Both medals Rhodium plated.
Condition: Rhodium plated,Good Very Fine
Kenneth Foster Saunders was born in Victoria, British Columbia on 6th February 1893. Upon the outbreak of World War I he would foster a desire to join Britain’s growing air service leading him to the Wright Company’s Flying School in Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. where the required 350 minute flying course cost him a dollar a minute.
He would receive his Aviation Certificate, No. 353 on 15th October 1915 this being signed by Orville Wright, and then sailed for England at his own expense. He would then travel to Eastchurch where he would complete the remainder of his training, graduating as a Flight Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Air Service. He would go on to fly naval patrol using a Sopwith Pup in a series of experimental landings on an improvised carrier deck. He would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in the London Gazette on 1st May 1918 for zeal and devotion to duty from the period 1st July – 31st December 1917 and subsequently the Air Force Cross in the London Gazette of 2nd November 1918.
In 1919 he was offered a two year contract to promote the sale of British Avro 504 aircraft in Sweden. This giving him his first experience with ski-equipped aircraft. He would return to Victoria in 1922 obtaining his Commercial Pilot’s Licence.
In August 1923, Saunders would join Fairchild Aerial Surveys of Canada Ltd and would be involved in the mapping of Quebec’s forests whilst using a Curtiss Seagull Flying boat.
His growing experience in aerial photography was sought by the U.S. Fairchild in building aircraft especially suited for photo mapping, taking part in the planning of the Fairchild series in monoplanes. As well as taking delivery of the first FC-2 on floats for Canadian operations.
Shortly afterwards he would begin piloting charter flights. In 1927 he would be involved in the Quebec government sponsored search flights for the missing trans-Atlantic flyers Nungesser and Coli, without success. Saunders would later fly newspapermen from Quebec to New York City for the reception of the German aircrew of a Junkers aircraft, the ‘Bremen’ which had successfully crossed the Atlantic from east to west in April 1928.
Along with his company he joined Canadian Airways Ltd in 1931 becoming part of the largest bush operator in eastern Canada. Part of Saunders’ brief included opening new routes along the entire lower St. Lawrence for passengers, mail and freight. Other routes serving locations on Hudson Bay.
In April 1936 he joined the Government Air Regulations Branch as a Department of Transport inspector having by then gained 21 years of flying experience. After a short period at the Department’s headquarters in Ottawa, and six months in Vancouver, he was assigned to the Edmonton region. From this base he would cover Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories by plane, boat and train, later including the Yukon.
In 1939 he was Regional Superintendent of Air Regulations for the Edmonton District. He continued to fly the Department’s aircraft until his retirement.
After 42 years in aviation, including 21 years of government service and 10,000 hours of flying, Saunders retired in 1958, he died on 1st July 1974 at age 81.