| David Sands was the youngest surviving son of James and Catherine Kate Sands. James Sands and Catherine Mallon were married on 2nd October 1879 in the district of Dungannon.
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| The CWGC record the family name as ‘Sandes’. However, all local documentation and local war memorials spell of the surname Sands.
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| David Sands was born on 7th September 1893. He was one of nine children, all born in Dungannon.
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| Known family: James Sands. Catherine Kate Sands, Jane Sands (born 27th January 1880), James Sands (born 8th April 1882), Catherine Sands (born 26th April 1884), Ellen / Nellie Sands (born about 1885), Patrick Sands (born 3rd March 1887), John Sands (born 1st January 1890), David Sands (born 7th September 1893), William Sands (born 7th September 1893, died 9th November 1893), Sarah Sands (born 8th September 1897)
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| The 1901 census records David as 7 years old. His father worked on a farm and his mother was a linen weaver. He was living with the family at house 1 in Mullaghanagh, Derrygortrevy, Tyrone.
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| The 1911 census shows David as still living with the family in Mullaghanagh, Derrygortrevy, He was 17 years and working as a labourer.
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| David Sands worked on the Ranfurly Estate in Dungannon.
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| David enlisted in Dungannon.
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| He was with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers for a time (Service No. 9532).
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| 1915
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| Private David Sands arrived in the Balkans with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 11th July 1915.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 9th October 1915: Bombardier Sandes’ Escape (brother of David Sands)
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| Bombardier James Sandes, R.G.A., writing from the Dardanelles on 16th September to his mother, Mrs Sandes, Mullaghanagh, Dungannon, says:-
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| ‘Just a few lines to let you know I am doing well. We have a very hot time of it at the Dardanelles and have had heavy losses. We have been under very sharp fire, and shells have dropped all around us. I had a very narrow escape lately, as a shell fell beside me but did not burst. I was coming from the observing station at the time when it dropped on a hill only twenty yards from me and about one mile from our own guns. The enemy were only ranging to find our position, but I had a very lucky escape.’
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 5th October 1915: James Sandes (brother of David Sands)
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| Bombardier James Sandes, R.F.A., writing from the Dardanelles to his parents at Mullaghanagh, Dungannon, says that he had a very narrow escape on the 15th September, when a shell struck the ground beside him but did not go off.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 18th November 1915:
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| Mrs Sands, Mullaghanagh, has received intimation that her son, Private David Sands, 6th Inniskillings, has contracted dysentery in the Eastern field of operations and is in hospital. He is one of four brothers serving on the front.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 2 December 1915: Mullaghanagh Man's Four Sons Serving
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| The four sons of Mr James Sandes, Mullaghanagh, Dungannon, are nobly serving their King and country in the army, all four being present at the front. The eldest son, Bombardier James Sandes, Royal Field Artillery, was a reservist and was called up at the outbreak of the war and is now serving with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Salonika. The next son, Gummer Patrick Sandes, Royal Garrison Artillery, had been on the army for a number of years before the outbreak of hostilities and had served for a period in China. He is now in France with his regiment. The other two sons, Driver John Sandes and Private David Sandes, both of the 6th Inniskilling Fusiliers, volunteered early in the war and are now fighting against the Bulgarians like their brother James. Gunner Patrick Sandes has been twice wounded in France, while his brother David is in hospital suffering from dysentery.
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| 1916
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| Private David Sands was home for a time in early 1916, recovering from dysentery he contracted at Gallipoli.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 17th February 1916:
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| Private David Sandes, 6th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has arrived home at Mullaghanagh, Dungannon, to recover from an attack of dysentery contracted at the Dardanelles.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 17th February 1916:
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| The following local soldiers have also arrived home in Dungannon on short furlough:- Corporal John Bell, Irish Guards; Private David Sandes, 6th Inniskillings (invalided owing to an attack of dysentery contracted at the Dardanelles); and Private Thomas Orr, Moygashel, 9th Inniskillings.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 9th October 1916: Brother of David Sands
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| Private John Sandes, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, is in hospital in Malta, suffering from malarial fever. His wife resides in Milltown, Dungannon, and he is one of three soldier sons of Mr James Sandes, Mullaghanagh, Dungannon.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated 12 October 1916: Brother of David Sands
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| Private John Sands, Inniskillings, who is in hospital suffering from malarial fever, is one of three soldier sons of Mr James Sands, Mullaghanagh. His wife resides in Milltown. His brother James has been wounded.
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| 1917
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 15th January 1917:
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| Private David Sandes, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, wounded, is the youngest son of Mr James Sands, Mullaghanagh, Dungannon.
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| Private David Sands was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he died in France of bronchitis on 31st January 1917. He was 23 years old.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 8th February 1917:
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| Private David Sandes, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Mullaghanagh, Dungannon, died of bronchitis in France on 31st January. Three of his brothers are in the service.
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| From the Tyrone Courier dated Thursday 15 February 1917
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| The War Office notified Mr James Sandes, Mullaghanagh, Dungannon, on Wednesday that the youngest of his four sons, Private David Sandes, Inniskilling Fusiliers, had died of bronchitis in France on 31st January 1917. He had been recently wounded.
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| David Sands was one of four brothers who served. David’s older brother, Patrick, also died in the war on 30th June 1917, five months after David’s death.
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| Memorials
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| Private David Sands is buried in Grove Town Cemetery in France.
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| Private David Sands is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial and on the WWI Roll of Honour in St Anne's Church Of Ireland in Dungannon.
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| The CWGC record Private David Sands as the son of Kate Sandes of Park Road, Dungannon, County Tyrone
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