Current Information:

Age-40

27, Hawke Road, Upper Norwood

SDGW-ALEXANDER

A.I.F. Burial Ground, Flers, Somme

Between 3rd February and 5th February, 1917, 16th Middlesex of 86 Brigade, 29th Division were in the front line at Morval on the Somme. The bitter and intense fighting here of the previous year had by this time largely died down as both sides did their best to survive the rigours of winter out in the open. The Battalion Diary makes no mention of any casualties while they were here but men were dying on a daily basis, mostly from shell fire, which remained a constant factor of trench warfare and probably accounted for the death of John Alexandre on 4th February.