Ernest Wright Alexander
Major (later Maj. General), 119th Battery Royal Field Artillery
- Register No.
- 16 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Major (later Maj. General) (register: Major) all Majors →
- Unit
- 119th Battery Royal Field Artillery all Royal Field Artillery VCs →
- Date of action
- 24 August 1914 on this day → all of 1914 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 18th February 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Born
- 2nd October 1870 at Liverpool, Lancashire
- Died
- 25th August 1934 at Kingsbridge, Devon
- Memorial / grave
- Cremated at Putney Vale Cemetery. London. His Ashes are in the Family grave
- Medal held by
- the Royal Artillery Museum
Digest of citation
On 24 August 1914 at Elouges, Belgium, when the flank guard was attacked by a German corps, Major Alexander handled his battery against overwhelming odds with such conspicuous success that all his guns were saved notwithstanding that they had to be withdrawn by hand by himself and volunteers led by a Captain of the 9th Lancers (see F.O. Grenfell Reg. No. 492). This enabled the retirement of the 5th Division to be carried out without serious loss. Subsequently, Major Alexander rescued a wounded man under heavy fire
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
ALEXANDER, Ernest Wright (Reg. No. 16)
Major (later Maj. General) 119th Battery Royal Field Artillery.
London Gazetted on 18th February 1915.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Royal Artillery Museum.
Born on 2nd October 1870 at Liverpool, Lancashire.
Died on 25th August 1934 at Kingsbridge, Devon. Cremated at Putney Vale Cemetery. London. His Ashes are in the Family grave.
Digest of Citation reads: On 24 August 1914 at Elouges, Belgium, when the flank guard was attacked by a German corps, Major Alexander handled his battery against overwhelming odds with such conspicuous success that all his guns were saved notwithstanding that they had to be withdrawn by hand by himself and volunteers led by a Captain of the 9th Lancers (see F.O. Grenfell Reg. No. 492). This enabled the retirement of the 5th Division to be carried out without serious loss. Subsequently, Major Alexander rescued a wounded man under heavy fire.
Additional Information: He was also decorated with the Companion of (the Order of) the Bath. (CB), the Companion of St Michael and St George (CMG) and the Croix de Guerre (Belgium)
Additional information
He was also decorated with the Companion of (the Order of) the Bath. (CB), the Companion of St Michael and St George (CMG) and the Croix de Guerre (Belgium)
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Cremated at Putney Vale Cemetery. London. His Ashes are in the Family grave
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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