Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Engineer Lieutenant Commander J. W. Alexander, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (Eng. Lt. Cr., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Eng. Lt. Cr) extremely fine (3) £80-100

James Watson Alexander was born in Scotland on 25 September 1877. Entering the Royal Navy in June 1899 as a Probationary Assistant Engineer, he attained the rank of Engineer Lieutenant in June 1904. His naval career was blighted by an addiction to alcohol. In 1908 the commanding officer of the cruiser Monmouth on the China Station reported his ‘excessive consumption of intoxicating spirit’ - on this occasion he escaped a Court Martial, though he was informed that he had ‘incurred the C. in C’s severe displeasure’ being ‘guilty of excessive indulgence of alcohol and of prevarication in his statements’. It was further stated that his wine bill was to be limited to moderate amounts of wine or beer only. His behaviour only temporarily improved and in 1910 the Captain of the cruiser Cochrane observed that he was ‘not always temperate, it became necessary to control his consumption of liquors’ but also stated that he was ‘a very zealous and capable Engineer Officer’. In 1912 the same officer reported that Alexander’s wine bills appeared to be rather large. Promoted to Engineer Lieutenant Commander on 1 January 1914, from November 1914 Alexander served aboard the pre-dreadnaught battleship Zealandia in the Home Fleet. On 1 February 1917 he was tried by Court Martial for ‘wilful disobedience of the lawful command of his superior officer’. Pleading guilty, he forfeited two years seniority, was severely reprimanded and dismissed from the ship. Transferred to the Minotaur, he was discharged to hospital on 17 August 1917, suffering from acute gastritis, directly attributable to his alcohol consumption. In September 1917 he was again tried by Court Martial, this time for ‘act to the prejudice of good order and naval discipline in disobeying an order, a written order, in regard to his wine bill’. Again pleading guilty, he forfeited all seniority as a Engineer Lieutenant Commander, was severely reprimanded and was dismissed from his ship. Because of his misconduct he was placed on the Retired List in October 1917. Sold with copied service papers.