Aucklander, William Edward Sanders initially went to sea on coastal ships around New Zealand. When war broke out he went to England and joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a Sub-Lieutenant in April 1916. He served on "Q-ships" which looked like inoffensive sailing vessels but were heavily armed with hidden guns. Their task was to lure German submarines to the surface.

12 February 1917 , Sanders commanded HMS "Prize", which in a successful action in April 1917 destroyed a German submarine. After the battle he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and awarded the Victoria Cross. Two months later he was involved in another action for which he won a DSO (Distinguished Service Order).

On August 14, 1917 the "Prize" was torpedoed and sunk by a German Submarine (U-boat 48). All lives were were lost.