Major-General Ernest Wright Alexander (2 October 1870 – 25 August 1934) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer and an English recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces.

Military career

Early career

Ernest Wright Alexander was born at 87 Everton Road,

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

on 2 October 1870, the son of one of the directors of the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...

. Alexander was educated at

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...

before going to the

Royal Military Academy, Woolwich The Royal Military Academy (RMA) at Woolwich, in south-east London, was a British Army military academy for the training of Officer (armed forces), commissioned officers of the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. It later also trained officers o ...

. He was commissioned into the

Royal Field Artillery The Royal Field Artillery (RFA) of the British Army provided close artillery support for the infantry. It was created as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 1899, serving alongside the other two arms of the regiment, the ...

as a second lieutenant on 27 July 1889. In 1892 he travelled to serve in India, where he was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

on 27 July, and to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

on 26 December 1899. Alexander returned to England in 1900 before completing a second tour of India between 1903 and 1906, leaving upon his promotion to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

on 25 April. The military historian J. M. Bourne describes Alexander's career to this point as "unspectacular".

Action at Elouges

Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, and Alexander began his service in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Stationed in Belgium, he took part in the

Great Retreat The Great Retreat (), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdrawal to the River Marne in August and September 1914 by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army. The Franco-British forces on the Western F ...

later the same month. Commanding the 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, Alexander was awarded the

(VC) for gallantry on 24 August, during the action of Elouges. When the flank guard was attacked by a German corps, 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 ( Francis Octavius Grenfell) of the 9th Lancers. 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. The full citation for his VC reads as follows:

Later service

Grenfell also received the VC, and two of Alexander's sergeants were awarded the

Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military ...

. Alexander's VC was the third to be won during the First World War, two having been achieved on the day before his. He was subsequently created a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George I ...

in June 1915.Alexander's bravery saw him gain quick promotion during the war, being promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier-general within a year of fighting at Elouges. Towards the start of 1916 he was appointed Brigadier General Royal Artillery to XV Corps, a unit which played a large role in the

First day on the Somme The first day on the Somme (1 July 1916) was the beginning of the Battle of Albert the name given by the British to the first two weeks of the Battle of the Somme () in the First World War. Nine corps of the French Sixth Army and the Britis ...

. Alexander laid down effective artillery barrages as XV Corps advanced, playing a large part in the success of its attacks at Fricourt and Mametz. The military historian, Brigadier-General Sir James Edmonds, was so impressed by Alexander's techniques that he reproduced full plans of his barrages in the '' History of the Great War''. Alexander continued to develop his

creeping barrage In military usage, a barrage is massed sustained artillery fire (shelling) aimed at a series of points along a line. In addition to attacking any enemy in the kill zone, a barrage intends to suppress enemy movements and deny access across tha ...

s which proved pivotal in XV Corps' victory at the Battle of Bazentin Ridge on 14 July. After being made a brevet colonel in January 1917, Alexander was subsequently given command of the Royal Artillery serving in

XI Corps 11 Corps, 11th Corps, Eleventh Corps, or XI Corps may refer to: * 11th Army Corps (France) * XI Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XI Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * ...

, commanded by Lieutenant-General

Sir Richard Haking General Sir Richard Cyril Byrne Haking (24 January 1862 – 9 June 1945) was a senior British Army officer who is most notable for being the commander of XI Corps during the majority of the First World War. Arguments over the late release of H ...

, in May, taking over from Brigadier General G. G. S. Carey. He continued with XI Corps until April 1918 when he was promoted to major-general and given command of First Army's Royal Artillery. This promotion came about because First Army was commanded by

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Sir Henry Horne, who had been promoted off the back of his successes while in command of XV Corps in 1916, and perceived he owed a debt to Alexander for this. Alexander continued to receive awards as the war came to an end, being created a Cavalier of the Military Order of Savoy in September 1918, and a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...

in January 1919. In August he then received the French

Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

and was created a Grand Officer of the Military Order of Avis by Portugal. He went on to command the Royal Artillery within the Southern Area of

Aldershot Command Aldershot Command was a Home Command of the British Army. History After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, reformers of the British Army decided to create a permanent training camp at Aldershot. To begin the preliminary work a smal ...

He retired from the army in October 1920 and, having reverted to his substantive rank of colonel the year before, in March 1919, was granted the honorary rank of major-general.

Retirement

In retirement Alexander became a deputy lieutenant of

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

on 17 June 1931. He died in his 64th year on 25 August 1934 in

Kingsbridge Kingsbridge is a market town in the South Hams district of Devon, England, with a population of 6,116 at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census. Two electoral wards bear the name of ''Kingsbridge'' (East & North). Their combined population ...

, and was buried at

Putney Vale Cemetery Putney Vale Cemetery and Crematorium in southwest London is located in Putney Vale, surrounded by Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park. It is located within of parkland. The cemetery was opened in 1891 and the crematorium in 193 ...

. His medal group is on display at the

Ashcroft Ashcroft may refer to: Places * Ashcroft, British Columbia, a village in Canada **Ashcroft House in Bagpath, Gloucestershire, England—eponym of the Canadian village * Ashcroft, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia * Ashcroft, Colorado, ...

Gallery in the

Imperial War Museum The Imperial War Museum (IWM), currently branded "Imperial War Museums", is a British national museum. It is headquartered in London, with five branches in England. Founded as the Imperial War Museum in 1917, it was intended to record the civ ...

, London.

Citations

References

* * * *

External links

Liverpool Echo
''(S.W. London)''

(Sold at auction)
Lot information from the auction
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Ernest Wright 1870 births 1934 deaths British Army major generals British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Royal Artillery officers British Army generals of World War I Burials at Putney Vale Cemetery People educated at Harrow School Military personnel from Liverpool Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Companions of the Order of the Bath Grand Officers of the Order of Aviz Knights of the Military Order of Savoy Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross