Pte
Alexander (Alex/Alec) White
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 03/03/1897 |
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Place of birth: Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Farmer |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 835213 |
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Enlistment date: 04/01/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Kingston, Frontenac County, Ontario, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 20th Bn. (Central Ontario) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 11/11/1917 |
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Place of death: North of Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 26 |
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 Norman White was a former Farmer, born in 1897 in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England. On January 4th, 1916, he enlisted in the 146th Battalion at Kingston, Ontario, Canada, but was later discharged. On November 14th, 1916, he enlisted again at Seaford, East Sussex, England. Alexander served as a Private in the 20th Battalion Canadian Infantry, part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, of the 2nd Canadian Division.
On the night between the 8th and 9th of November 1917, the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade relieved the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade at the front near Passchendaele. The 20th Battalion took up positions north of the village, between the road to Westrozebeke and the Doornkouterstraat. The 18th Battalion was in the centre between the Doornkouterstraat and Zuidstraat. They held the eastern flank of the Passchendaele ruins. The 19th Battalion held the right flank of the brigade, between the Zuidstraat and a point 100 metres north of Tiber. The 21st and 22nd Battalion were in support at Seine and reserve at Abraham Heights respectively. The relief was completed at 4:50 a.m.
At that time ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies of the 20th Battalion Canadian Infantry held a curved line between the Westrozebekestraat and the Doornkouterstraat. The only access route to the troops was the road running from Westrozebeke to Broodseinde, passing along the Passchendaele church. During the day the frontline and the access route were heavily shelled, causing casualties and making communication difficult. In the afternoon ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies, that had stayed behind near Potyse until now, moved up to the front line, arriving around midnight. At 3:20 p.m. the battalion received the order to attack the following day. The 18th and 19th Battalions were ordered to hold the line while the 20th Battalion carried out this operation. The 21st and 22nd Battalions had to stay in support and reserve. The goal was to gain ground east of Vindictive Crossroads, between the Grote Roeselarestraat and the Doornkouterstraat.
The support areas were shelled during the night. At 6:05 a.m. on November 10th, 1917, the 20th Battalion attacked. They only encountered light resistance and were able to capture the objective, about 500 metres from their jump-off point. That evening it started to rain. This, combined with shelling of the access route, made the relief planned for that night impossible. On the 11th of November 1917, the line held by the 20th Battalion was shelled, causing many casualties. The relief would eventually be completed at 7:25 a.m. on the 12th of November. Between November 1st to 12th, 1917, the 20th Canadian Infantry Battalion estimates to have suffered 176 casualties.
Alexander, aged 20, was killed in action on November 11, 1917. Private White has no known grave and is remembered on panel 26 of the Menin Gate Memorial.
On the night between the 8th and 9th of November 1917, the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade relieved the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade at the front near Passchendaele. The 20th Battalion took up positions north of the village, between the road to Westrozebeke and the Doornkouterstraat. The 18th Battalion was in the centre between the Doornkouterstraat and Zuidstraat. They held the eastern flank of the Passchendaele ruins. The 19th Battalion held the right flank of the brigade, between the Zuidstraat and a point 100 metres north of Tiber. The 21st and 22nd Battalion were in support at Seine and reserve at Abraham Heights respectively. The relief was completed at 4:50 a.m.
At that time ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies of the 20th Battalion Canadian Infantry held a curved line between the Westrozebekestraat and the Doornkouterstraat. The only access route to the troops was the road running from Westrozebeke to Broodseinde, passing along the Passchendaele church. During the day the frontline and the access route were heavily shelled, causing casualties and making communication difficult. In the afternoon ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies, that had stayed behind near Potyse until now, moved up to the front line, arriving around midnight. At 3:20 p.m. the battalion received the order to attack the following day. The 18th and 19th Battalions were ordered to hold the line while the 20th Battalion carried out this operation. The 21st and 22nd Battalions had to stay in support and reserve. The goal was to gain ground east of Vindictive Crossroads, between the Grote Roeselarestraat and the Doornkouterstraat.
The support areas were shelled during the night. At 6:05 a.m. on November 10th, 1917, the 20th Battalion attacked. They only encountered light resistance and were able to capture the objective, about 500 metres from their jump-off point. That evening it started to rain. This, combined with shelling of the access route, made the relief planned for that night impossible. On the 11th of November 1917, the line held by the 20th Battalion was shelled, causing many casualties. The relief would eventually be completed at 7:25 a.m. on the 12th of November. Between November 1st to 12th, 1917, the 20th Canadian Infantry Battalion estimates to have suffered 176 casualties.
Alexander, aged 20, was killed in action on November 11, 1917. Private White has no known grave and is remembered on panel 26 of the Menin Gate Memorial.
Sources 7
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Ancesty https://www.ancestry.com/ Sources used |
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Corrigall, D.J. The History of the Twentieth Canadian Battalion ( Central Ontario Regiment ) Canadian Expeditionary Force " (Toronto: Stone & Cox, 1935), 159-65. Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1596997/a-n-white/ Sources used |
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Personnel Records - Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 10277 - 54 https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=310941 Sources used |
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The Long Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/2nd-canadian-division/ Sources used |
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War Diary of the 20th Battalion Canadian Infantry - RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4930, Microfilm reel number: T-10730, T-10730, File number: 409, File part: 1 https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=2005918&new=-8585527943416637461 Sources used |
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War Diary of the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade - RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4882, Microfilm reel number: T-10679, T-10679, File number: 240, File part: 1=1917/09/01-1917/10/31;2=1917/11/01-1917/12/31 https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=1883157&new=-8585524619394719189 Sources used |