Sanders, William Charles (Lieutenant, b.1919 - d.1971)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of VX19509 Lieutenant William Charles Sanders, 4th Australian General Hospital and Military History and Information Section, Australia, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, 1940-1943.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one diary written by Lieutenant Sanders while serving in Egypt, Libya, Lebanon and Australia from December 1940 to 4 September 1943, initially as a radiographer and later as a photographer after being promoted to Warrant Officer Class 1. In this diary he details his movements, health, recreational activities, meals and food rations, sailing conditions, local weather and wildlife, observations of Libya, local air-raids and bombings, casualties, site seeing tours, experiences on board the ‘Knight of Malta’ shipwreck, air-mail from friends and family, daily duties including x-raying, capturing and developing photographs of service personnel, army locations and events, meeting servicemen and working for Colonel John Treloar’s Military History and Information Section. This diary also contains a list of names and addresses.

Lieutenant William Charles Sanders first enlisted with the Second Australian Infantry Battalion in Caulfield, Victoria on 11 June 1940. He initially served as a radiographer with the 4 Australian General Hospital in Australia and Libya, until he was promoted to Warrant Officer Class One with the History in Military History and Information Section in July 1941. He served as a photographer in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Australia, documenting various events, service personnel and locations. Lieutenant Sanders contributed to the War Museum’s Military History Section [today known as the Australian War Memorial]. Lieutenant William Charles Sanders was discharged on 24 April 1950.