Bunty Saunders

1921 – 2008

Bunty was born in York in 1921, an army child and was despatched to boarding school at an early age. She showed an independence of character from the start, giving up needlework to take up carpentry. She and her brother Alan tested their position as children of the CO at Chichester Barracks to the limit. On one occasion she was locked n the Guard House by the RSM for riding her pony across the ‘posh grass’.

The family moved to Fontwell when her father retired. He became Colonel of the Royal Sussex Regiment but sadly died of cancer in 1942. He was given a full military funeral throughthe streets of Chichester and ashes were interred in the Cathedral. Bunty was very proud of her military heritage and all her horses boasted horse rugs in regimental colours.

At 18. as war began Bunty joined up with the FANY’S and then moved to the ATS as an army driver. Her strong character revealed itself on more than one occasion. She struggled with authority and was demoted twice. After the war she returned to Fontwell and before long her love of horses led her, with her friend Chris, to revive the local Pony Club It was through Chris and the horse connection that she met Tony and they were married in St Mary’s Church in 1948. Some feared that a marriage of two red heads would not survive. In fact it lasted 59 years. The lived in Bahrain for a period before returning to Fontwell. Years of horses and chickens (5,000 at one point) followed. She took her three children far and wide to Gymkhanas and Shows generally with four or five ponies in an old army truck converted into a horse box.

Another great love was skiing. She skied until she was 83 and only gave it up because she could no longer see where she was going! She was an inveterate ‘recycler’, long before it was fashionable, a great doer and as such was not into fashion, though when needs must did what was required when ‘on parade ‘ as she put it.

Bunty was strong willed, spoke her mind and had incredible energy. She was highly organised and clearly was never happier than when surrounded by family.

Feb 2008