Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Henry Stephen Winder a labourer, born in the January quarter of 1857 in Dover, Kent (son of John Winder, 1824-1899 and Elizabeth Finnis, 1821-1893) and his wife Sarah Winder (nee Booth, married on the 4th September 1876 in Christ Church, Hougham, Kent), born in the January quarter of 1858 in Rochester, Kent and baptised on the 21st April 1858 in St. Margaret’s Church, Rochester (daughter of John William Booth, 1820 and Amelia Crapnell, 1820). Samuel, a schoolboy, was born in the April quarter of 1882 in Leicester, his siblings were, Sarah Elizabeth Ann, a shoe trade worker, born on the 21st February 1877 in Dover, Kent, Henry, a schoolboy, born in the January quarter of 1881, George, a schoolboy, born on the 3rd January 1885, William, born in the January quarter of 1887, John, born on the 5th March 1888 and Thomas, born on the 8th December 1890, the latter five siblings were all born in Leicester, in April 1891 the family home was at Milligan Road, Aylestone Park, St. James’s, Leicester. In March 1901 Samuel was absent from the family home at Cyprus Road, Leicester, residing there was his father, a gas trade labourer, his mother and siblings, Henry a cigar box maker, George, a sign writer, William, a gas trade labourer, John, a cigar box maker, Thomas, Joseph, born in the July quarter of 1893, Bertram, born in the July quarter of 1898 and James Arthur, born on the 1st December 1900, the latter three siblings were all born in Leicester. Samuel’s mother died aged 45 years in November 1903, and was interred on the 18th November in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester. In April 1911 Samuel was a rubber trade labourer and was residing in the family home at 61, Lorraine Road, Leicester together with his wife Eva Mawby Winder (nee Starr, married on the 13th February 1909 in St. James’s Church, Aylestone Park, Leicester) a boot and shoe trade stockroom worker, born on the 15th May 1891 in Leicester and baptised on the 22nd June 1892 in St. Matthew’s Church, Leicester (daughter of William Henry Mawby and Alice Jemima Mawby) and their son Samuel, born on the 28th October 1910 in Leicester. Samuel and Eva also had two further children, Henry Winder, born on the 21st December 1911 and William Edward Winder, born on the 29th April 1913.
Samuel’s brother Bertram died on the 30th April 1918 from wounds received in action and his brother Joseph fell in action on the 2nd November 1918.
FAMILY NOTE: Samuel was officially registered at birth with the surname spelling of Winder, however at various periods of his life, both he and his family used the spelling Wynder, most notably when enlisting into the army. Samuel also had a further sibling, Alfred, born in the April quarter of 1902 in Leicester.
Samuel’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Mobilised in Leicester. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Royal Field Artillery. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 6978.
Posted. To Royal Field Artillery. Driver. Date not known.
Allocated to 88th Brigade, Ammunition Column.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 19/8/14.
Wounded in action. In the Field. Date not known.
Admitted. To No. 7 Casualty Clearing Station. Date not known.
Died of wounds. In No.7 Casualty Clearing Station. 19/3/16.
Buried in Merville Communal Cemetery, Nord, France.
Awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Samuel nominated his wife, Eva as his sole legatee.
On the 23rd October 1916, Samuel’s widow was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of ten shillings and six pence for her three children, the Pension had originally been assessed at twenty shillings and six pence for herself and the three children, however having remarried on the 7th August 1916, the reduced figure was paid.
On Monday March 27th, 1916, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 4, under the heading. – LOCAL CASUALTIES. - Driver S. WYNDER, Royal Field Artillery, died of wounds in France on the 20th inst. His widow and three children reside at Cropstone-road, Anstey. He was a reservist, and went through the South African war. His father, Mr. H. Wynder, of 35, Milligan-road, has five other sons with the colours.
The 14th December 1998 edition of the Leicester Mercury published the following under the heading, “TERRIBLE FAMILY TOLL OF TWO WORLD WARS” The article also carried two photographs. The 80th Anniversary of the First World War Armistice caused Mrs M. I. Tipton of Evington to seek out a carefully preserved black-edged memorial card commemorating her late husband Mr Stanley Tipton’s three uncles who made the ultimate sacrifice in that ‘War to end Wars.’ They were Samuel, Bertram and Joseph Winder (DCM) – the brothers of Mrs Tipton’s late mother-in-law, Mrs Sarah Tipton who when her mother died brought up several of her brothers along with her own two sons. Sarah’s husband William also fought in the Great War. The memorial card states Samuel Winder (20) sic, and Bertram (34) sic died of wounds while serving with the Leicester’s sic. Joseph (25) who was in the Seaforth Highlanders was killed in action a few days before the Armistice, having never seen his six-month-old son. Joseph’s son was killed while serving in the RAF in World War Two. In the years after the First World War, Sarah had three more sons, Jack, Ernest and Stanley MBE – all of whom served in the Second World War. Jack died while in the Fire Service at that time. The story that lies behind the black-edged card and several old photographs sent in with it must be typical of many which show how to varying degrees those two World Wars entered the lives of every family in the land – sometimes taking a terrible toll.
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