Pte
Alexander Miller
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1892 |
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Place of birth: Crieff, Kinross, Scotland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Trainee Solicitor |
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/3462 |
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Units: — Seaforth Highlanders, 7th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Inch Houses, Belgium |
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Age: 25 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 134 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
The 9th Division attacked at zero hour, 5.25 a.m. in the morning of the 12th of October. The 9th Division was in position South of Poelcappelle and attacked with one brigade. The 26th Brigade attacked with the 8th Black Watch on the right and the 10th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders on the left. The 7th Seaforths and the 5th Cameron Higlanders were in support. The 7th Seaforths would support the advance of the 8th Blackwatch on the right.
The 8th Black Watch took Adler Farm but had much difficulty in assembling. The supporting barrage behind which the troops had to advance came in to early and was patchy and thin giving the men no definite line to go on. The leading companies of the 7th Seaforths moved forward with the 12th Royal Scots in reserve and advanced through the Black Watch. Owing to the chaos of the attack, men of all three Battalions got mixed, which made it hard for anyone to grasp the situation. The mixed assaulting parties took Inch Houses where they encountered some slight resistance. In several places small parties of Germans in shell holes tried to slow down the advance.
The furthest point of the advance known to have been reached by the 7th Seaforth was the eastern end of Wallemolen, a hamlet southeast of Poelcappelle. They mixed party who reached Wallemolen was eventually driven out and had to fall back on the Cemetery-Inch House line on the Green Line.
The Battalion was relieved during the 13th and 14th of October. During their two days at the front the 7th Seaforths had lost five officers and 41 other ranks. Seven officers were reported wounded, one died of his wounds. The other ranks counted 167 wounded and 13 men went missing.
We believe Private Miller Alexander was one of the men who fell during the attack or went missing. Private Miller Alexander probably died between the British Lines at Adler House – Vacher Farm and the Hamlet of Wallemolen, in the fields round Inch Houses.
The 8th Black Watch took Adler Farm but had much difficulty in assembling. The supporting barrage behind which the troops had to advance came in to early and was patchy and thin giving the men no definite line to go on. The leading companies of the 7th Seaforths moved forward with the 12th Royal Scots in reserve and advanced through the Black Watch. Owing to the chaos of the attack, men of all three Battalions got mixed, which made it hard for anyone to grasp the situation. The mixed assaulting parties took Inch Houses where they encountered some slight resistance. In several places small parties of Germans in shell holes tried to slow down the advance.
The furthest point of the advance known to have been reached by the 7th Seaforth was the eastern end of Wallemolen, a hamlet southeast of Poelcappelle. They mixed party who reached Wallemolen was eventually driven out and had to fall back on the Cemetery-Inch House line on the Green Line.
The Battalion was relieved during the 13th and 14th of October. During their two days at the front the 7th Seaforths had lost five officers and 41 other ranks. Seven officers were reported wounded, one died of his wounds. The other ranks counted 167 wounded and 13 men went missing.
We believe Private Miller Alexander was one of the men who fell during the attack or went missing. Private Miller Alexander probably died between the British Lines at Adler House – Vacher Farm and the Hamlet of Wallemolen, in the fields round Inch Houses.
Sources 2
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26 Infantry Brigade: 7 Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1765/3). https://nationalarchives.gov.uk Further reference |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995) pg. 116. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1635259 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=015432e8-755a-4e88-98c8-a3a103478317 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3035254 |