Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Sergeant W. H. Alexander, 8th Battalion Canadian Infantry and Winnipeg Grenadiers

British War and Victory Medals (22163 L. Cpl., 8-Can. Inf.); Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service, G.V.R. (Sergt. Dmr., Winn. Gren.); Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Canada, with Second Award Bar (Sgt., Wpg. Gren.) mounted as worn; British Empire Service League, Canadian Association Medal, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse inscribed, ‘W. H. Alexander, Prince Edward Man. Branch 81 1933’, with ‘Past President - Branch’ brooch bar; Canadian Memorial Cross, E.II.R., unnamed, with brooch bar, Efficiency Medal with edge bruise, very fine and better (6) £220-280

William Alexander was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland on 16 August 1886. A Carpenter by occupation, a member of the Canadian Militia and a former member of the R.A.M.C., he attested for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 3 October 1914. Serving with the 11th Reserve Battalion he was posted to England in January 1916 and taken on to the strength of the 8th Battalion in France in July 1916. On 28 September 1916 it was reported that he suffered injury to his abdomen and scrotum, being ‘buried four and half hours’. As a result he was invalided to hospital in England, October 1916-April 1917. Further medical problems followed - bronchitis, nephritis, pleurisy and he was invalided to Canada in May 1919 and discharged as medically unfit on 1 October 1920.

With a quantity of copied service and medical papers. Also with two original letters of thanks written to Corporal Alexander, dated November and December 1915; Programme of a Concert given by ladies to the wounded soldiers at the Kettering General Hospital, November 1916; newspaper cuttings re the death of Mary Alexander.