Pte
Alexander Gordon
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 02/06/1890 |
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Place of birth: Wick, Caithness, Scotland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Grocer |
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: s/9654 |
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Enlistment place: Stirling, Stirlingshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Princess Louise’s (Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), 1/7th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 06/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Ferdinand Farm, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 27 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 42 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Alexander Gordon was born in 1890 in the small village of Keiss, Caithness near the town of Wick in the far north of Scotland. He married his wife Euphemia in 1912. They had two children together; William and Margaret. Before he enlisted, Alexander worked as a grocer in Edinburgh, where he lived with his family.
Alexander enlisted in Stirling, Stirlingshire and eventually joined the 7th Battalion Princess Louise’s Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, which became part of the 154th Brigade of the 51st (Highland) Division.
From 31 July 1917 onwards, his Battalion participated in the Battle of Pilkem Ridge, the opening stage of the Battle of Passchendaele. The attack had three objectives: the Blue line, the Black line and the Green line, the Green Line being the final objective along the Steenbeek stream, just north of St Julien. On the 31st of July, the 152nd and 153rd Brigades of the 51st Division attacked, while the 154th Brigade was in reserve. All three objectives were won.
On August 2nd, the 154th Brigade was sent out to relieve the 152nd and 153rd Brigades along the Steenbeek stream. One Company of the 7th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders remained in the old British frontline. The three other Companies were placed along the Canal Bank.
During the night between the 4th and 5th of August, the 7th Battalion relieved the 9th Battalion, Royal Scots in the frontline near Ferdinand Farm. The Battalion stayed there until they were relieved on the night of the 7th/8th.
On the 6th of August 1917, the day Private Alexander Gordon was killed, the 7th Battalion endured very heavy shelling. On the fateful day, three men of the 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were killed in action, amongst whom Private Gordon. Alexander was 27 years old and left behind a young family. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
Alexander enlisted in Stirling, Stirlingshire and eventually joined the 7th Battalion Princess Louise’s Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, which became part of the 154th Brigade of the 51st (Highland) Division.
From 31 July 1917 onwards, his Battalion participated in the Battle of Pilkem Ridge, the opening stage of the Battle of Passchendaele. The attack had three objectives: the Blue line, the Black line and the Green line, the Green Line being the final objective along the Steenbeek stream, just north of St Julien. On the 31st of July, the 152nd and 153rd Brigades of the 51st Division attacked, while the 154th Brigade was in reserve. All three objectives were won.
On August 2nd, the 154th Brigade was sent out to relieve the 152nd and 153rd Brigades along the Steenbeek stream. One Company of the 7th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders remained in the old British frontline. The three other Companies were placed along the Canal Bank.
During the night between the 4th and 5th of August, the 7th Battalion relieved the 9th Battalion, Royal Scots in the frontline near Ferdinand Farm. The Battalion stayed there until they were relieved on the night of the 7th/8th.
On the 6th of August 1917, the day Private Alexander Gordon was killed, the 7th Battalion endured very heavy shelling. On the fateful day, three men of the 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were killed in action, amongst whom Private Gordon. Alexander was 27 years old and left behind a young family. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
Sources 4
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Ancestry https://search.ancestry.co.uk/ Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/931313/gordon,-alexander/ Sources used |
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Long Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used |
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War Diary http://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used |