Year of birth: 1883

Place of birth: Hurstville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Last known residence: Hurstville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Profession: Labourer

Religion: Church of England

Country: Australia

Force: Australian Imperial Force

Rank: Private

Service number: 3997

Enlistment date: 18/07/1916

Enlistment place: Hurstville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Units:  —  Australian Infantry, 30th Bn.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 26/09/1917

Place of death: Polygon Wood - Cameron House, Belgium

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 34

Rupert Gordon Alexander was one of the sons of George and Ellen Alexander. Rupert was born around 1883 in Hurstville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He continued to live there and worked as a labourer. In 1916 Rupert enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and was sent to the Western Front. He served in the 30th Battalion (10th Reinforcement) Australian Infantry Regiment (8th Brigade, 5th Division). Rupert also had a brother, Alexander Norman Alexander, who also served in the Australian Army during the Great War, albeit in a different battalion (2nd Bn). Alexander died on the 17th of April 1918 at the age of 28.

Rupert Gordon Alexander died on 26th of September 1917, the 1st day of the Battle of Polygon Wood. This battle took place from 26 September to 3 October 1917. The 5th Australian Division attacked with the 15th and 14th Australian Brigades. The 8th Australian Brigade supported the 15th Australian Brigade. As the 30th Battalion attempted to hold their line at Polygon Wood, Rupert was hit by shrapnel, killing him instantly. However, there was no cemetery nearby at the time, so Alexander was buried in Polygon Wood.

Rupert Gordon Alexander is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery (Plot XXXV, Row F, Grave 1). His brother, Alexander Norman Alexander, also died in the Great War. He died on 17th April 1918. Alexander Norman is commemorated today on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France.

Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1037234). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used

AWM Class 23 - Infantry (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/47/3). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, ALEXANDER R G). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used

Roll of Honour Cards, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM145). https://www.awm.go.au/ Sources used

Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461722

The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=2488

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=5e592df0-92bc-41cc-8c5e-a941ccad95b1