Soldiers Who Have Served

Name: Matthew John Saunders

Rank: Lance Corporal

Regimental number: 25051323

Place of birth: Cambridge

Home town: Cambridge

Date enlisted: April 1996

Background: Matt was raised in the village of Great Wilbraham, near Cambridge. He attended Gt Wilbraham Primary School and Bottisham Village College. In Afghanistan, he assisted in an appeal for school books and equipment through the Daily Star. This resulted in a container arriving in Afghanistan in June 2003 with enough furnishings, pens, paper and books to equip four schools.

Army career: Matt enlisted in the Army in April 1996, and after completing his initial training in October 1996 he joined the 1st Battalion of the Regiment while they were based at Oakington, near Cambridge. The majority of the Battalion were deployed on a six month tour of Belfast and it no doubt frustrated Matt, with his enthusiasm for his role, that he remained on rear party and missed the deployment.

During the next few years he took part in exercises in Kenya and Canada, as well as a two-year operational tour in Londonderry.

It was while in Londonderry that he was selected to attend a potential NCOs’ cadre, which he successfully passed. He was duly promoted in early 2002, shortly before he deployed on his second operational tour with the Vikings, to Afghanistan.

Date of death: 03/11/2002

Circumstances: Matthew died in a road accident while serving with the Regiment in the UK.