Site Home
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you agree to accept cookies.
If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.
Great War Home
Search
Add Stories & Photos
Library
Help & FAQs
Features
Allied Army
Day by Day
RFC & RAF
Prisoners of War
War at Sea
Training for War
The Battles
Those Who Served
Hospitals
Civilian Service
Women at War
The War Effort
Central Powers Army
Central Powers Navy
Imperial Air Service
Library
World War Two
Submissions
Add Stories & Photos
Time Capsule
Information
Help & FAQs
Glossary
Our Facebook Page
Volunteering
News
Events
Contact us
Great War Books
About
236061Pte. Alexander Macdonald
British Army 5th battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
from:Falkirk
(d.12th Oct 1917)
My great uncle, Alexander Macdonald, was 17 years old when he joined the Army. He had tried when he was only 16 years old, but his mother found out and he had to wait until he was 17.Alexander was born at Culloden Ross & Cromarty, he was one of twelve children. His parents were Hector Macdonald of Skye & Christina MacRae. Alexander left many memories his time in service and we have many photographs of him alone and also with his unit during his years from 1913 to 1917. One comment on a photo with his unit " Aye smiling"
First he joined the Lord Lovat Scouts, then transferred to the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. He was called Sandy by his family. His brother Kenneth also died in 1917 from war wounds, at least his mother was able to say goodbye to Kenneth, he was her first born child. He was 25 and married. His daughter, Ivy, was born three months after his death. Alexander was one of 200 men who died on that dreadful day at Passchendaele, Belgium on 12th of October 1917. His name appears in the Roll of Honour page 543 at the Cameron Highlanders Museum. Alexander is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery, the largest War Cemetery in the world, where almost 12,000 souls are buried.
Alexander was 21 years old when he died, he was greatly loved by his family, his many photographs, in particular, the one on his horse was on display in his parents home alongside one of his brother Kenneth, for future generations to admire and give eternal thanks to their sons and the many many brave men & women who gave their lives, to enable us to have the freedom we have today.
Their memories will live on forever. I have inherited all the photographs, my cousin has his medals
Related Content:
Can you help us to add to our records?
The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them
Did your relative live through the Great War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial?
If so please let us know.
Do you know the location of a Great War "Roll of Honour?"We are very keen to track down these often forgotten documents and obtain photographs and transcriptions of the names recorded so that they will be available for all to remember.
Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.
Celebrate your own Family History
Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Great War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.
Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.
The free section of The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers.
This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources and we currently have a huge backlog of submissions.
If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running.
Hosted by:
Copyright MCMXCIX - MMXXIV
- All Rights Reserved -We do not permit the use of any content from this website for the training of LLMs or for use in Generative AI, it also may not be scraped for the purpose of creating other websites.