The 10th (Service) Battalion arrived at Boulogne in July 1915. Alexander arrived in France on the 14/10/1915. On the 11/05/1916 the 10th (Service) Battalion amalgamated with the 8th (Service) Battalion to form the 8/10th (Service) Battalion. They were part of the 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division when Alexander was Killed in Action on the opening day of the First Battle of the Scarpe, 9th - 14th April 1917 (part of the Battle of Arras). He had been through the Somme campaign. From the 8/10th (Service) Battalion War Diary on the day Alexander fell - Arras 2.30am : "At this hour the Battalion began to move forward to assembly trenches for the attack. The Battalion was reported in position at 4.30am one hour before zero hour as casualties having occurred. At 5.30am (zero hour) our barrage opened with a thunder of sound and Reserve companies moved out of their trenches, The front companies climbed from their trenches and moved forward. The movement was made in perfect order. A tendency in the part of the men to follow our barrage too closely being the only point calling for Officers control. The 12th April - Our casualties in the three days fighting were - Officers killed, wounded 4, other ranks killed 47, wounded 162, missing 36". See photos for more information on the day Alexander fell and the Battalions War Diary. This was part of the The Arras offensive, 1917 (Battle of Arras) : 9th April -16th June 1917: Once again the British are called upon to launch an attack in support to a larger French offensive: the battles of the Chemin des Dames and the hills of Champagne. The opening Battle of Vimy and the First Battle of the Scarpe are very encouraging, but once again the offensive - often known as the Battle of Arras - bogs down into an attritional slog. Final attempts to outflank the German lines at Bullecourt prove terribly costly. Alexander is listed as HOLMEN on the Coatbridge Memorial. He was a member of Loyal Orange Lodge 31 and was closely connected to the Rechabites (Temperance). Alexander was reburied in Dury Crucifix Cemetery (see photos). Grave photo kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. Alexander is also remembered on the Drumpellier United Free Church Roll of Honour and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour and the Workington Roll of Honour-Civic Memorial. There are no names on the Workington Memorial (see photos). See photos for Alexander's Medal Index Card, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, his listing on the 1901 England Census, Alexander's Reburial Form, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, Dury Crucifix Cemetery, Alexander's Pension Records x 2, the Gordon Highlanders Cap Badge and Alexanders Service Record x 4. Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 31 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK FEBRUARY - APRIL 1917, PHOTOS FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION ORDER OF BATTLE x 13 (the Division he was with when he died), PHOTOS x 28 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY 1st MARCH - 9th APRIL 1917 and Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 2 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1).
