{"product_id":"ww1-medal-pair-british-war-medal-victory-medal-awarded-to-private-s-406066-harry-claude-alexander-of-the-army-service-corps-interesting-service-history-with-3-x-infantry-regiments-and-the-a-s-c-in-egypt","title":"WW1 medal pair - British War Medal \u0026 Victory Medal - Awarded to Private S\/406066 HARRY CLAUDE ALEXANDER of the Army Service Corps – INTERESTING service history with 3 x infantry regiments and the A.S.C. in Egypt","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eStock Reference – MM-MED-0054\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-family: Aptos; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eWW1 medal pair - British War Medal \u0026amp; Victory Medal - Awarded to Private S\/406066 HARRY CLAUDE ALEXANDER of the Army Service Corps – INTERESTING service history with 3 x infantry regiments and the A.S.C. in Egypt\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eThe medals are inscribed ‘S-406066 PTE. H.C.ALEXANDER. A.S.C.’\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eYou are looking at a British War Medal and Victory Medal awarded to HARRY CLAUDE ALEXANDER of the Royal Army Service Corps.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eHARRY CLAUDE ALEXANDER, the son of HARRY and SARAH KATE ALEXANDER, was born on the 10\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of August 1898 at West Hartlepool, and was living at 1 Layland Villas, Holderness Road, Sutton Ings in Hull, when he enlisted into the East Yorkshire Regiment (service number 23586) at Beverley on the 12\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of December 1915.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eOn the 14\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of May 1916, he was transferred to the 2\/6\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e Battalion the Notts \u0026amp; Derby Regiment (service number 5542). \u003ci\u003eOne record suggests his transfer was to the 2\/6\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment........\u003c\/i\u003eThe 2\/6\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e Battalion Notts \u0026amp; Derby Regiment are interesting, because in April 1916, they were sent to Ireland as part of the 178\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e (2\u003csup\u003end\u003c\/sup\u003e Notts \u0026amp; Derby) Brigade, and were one of the units involved in putting down the ‘Easter Rising’, and they remained in Ireland to maintain public order.......It is likely HARRY was also sent to Ireland, but arrived after the main event that took place from the 24\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e to the 29\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of April.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eOn the 13\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of February 1917, around two weeks before the 2\/6\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e Battalion Notts \u0026amp; Derby Regiment deployed to France, HARRY ALEXANDER was transferred again, on this occasion to the 2\/9\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e Battalion the Royal Scots (service number 353356).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eIn November 1917, in response to a letter dated the 23\u003csup\u003erd\u003c\/sup\u003e of September, the War Office refused to sanction the transfer of Private 353356 ALEXANDER of the 2\/9\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e Battalion Royal Scots to the ‘Class W Reserve’ – CLASS W ARMY RESERVE was a British Army category applied to soldiers whose trade or skills were best utilised in civilian life rather than in the army, such as coal, iron and steel workers, but it was also used for other categories of people, including those who were found to be underage and conscientious objectors. \u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eIt is not clear what the reason was for HARRY ALEXANDER’S application to transfer to the Reserve, but there is an entry in his service record, probably dated early 1918 although the entry is hardly readable, that relates to the provision of an ‘Occupation Card’, which was a formal system under which a soldier was able to record civilian occupations and trade qualifications, and as a clerk \/ typist when he enlisted, there is a possibility that these skills and abilities, or something similar, were being divulged officially, although there is nothing telling us what prompted the card to be issued. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eThat said, his service record also provides that on the 13\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of March 1918, he was serving in the Royal Scots’ No.2 Trench Mortar Battery (T.M.B.) at Edinburgh. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eHARRY ALEXANDER’S army service records if very difficult to decipher, but it appears that he transferred to the Army Service Corps on the 10\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of April 1918, although one entry says ‘A.S.C. Prees Heath’ on the 4\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of April, and he embarked for Egypt on the 14\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of June, from Southampton initially, then overland via Cherbourg and Taranto in Italy, then by sea, arriving at Alexandria on the 15\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of July.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eAgain, his service record is difficult to decipher, but the following information relates to his service in Egypt:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e15\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e July 1918 – Disembarked ‘H.T.Maple’ at Alexandria and immediately posted to Base Horse Transport Depot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e17\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e July 1918 – Admitted to the 24\u003csup\u003eth \u003c\/sup\u003eStationary Hospital at Kantara \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e30\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e July 1918 – To the ‘Comdt Branch’ at El Arish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e19\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e December 1918 – From Base Horse Transport Department - Joined from ? at El Arish \/ Kantara.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e28\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e December 1918 – From Base Horse Transport Department - Posted to HQ F in E (Forces in Egypt) at Cairo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e24\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e June 1919 – Promoted to Acting Corporal and assumed duties in this new rank.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e2\u003csup\u003end\u003c\/sup\u003e August 1919 – Serving with HQ Cairo Brigade.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003e3\u003csup\u003erd\u003c\/sup\u003e September 1919 – Embarked on the ‘H.T.Caledonia’ for a period of leave in Alexandria.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eHe served with the Army Service Corps until October 1919. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eTo summarise, we know from the available records that HARRY ALEXANDER was a clerk and typist at the time he enlisted into the army in 1915, however, although he served in 3 x different infantry regiments, the East Yorkshire Regiment, the Notts and Derby Regiment and the Royal Scots, he didn’t see any service overseas, although he probably did travel to Ireland a couple of weeks after the ‘Easter Rising’, as a newly transferred member of the 2\/6\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e Battalion the Notts and Derby Regiment who had been involved in the suppression of the rebel forces there.....In September 1917, there was an application made for him to be transferred to the ‘Class W Reserve’, but this was denied by the War Office, however, an entry in his service record, probably dated early 1918, records the provision of an ‘Occupation Card’, and shortly after, although whether connected or not is unclear, he was transferred to the Army Service Corps and was sent to Egypt, where he was employed in the Base Horse Transport Department in the El Arish area and from there, was posted to the Commandant’s Branch, eventually ending up in the rank of Acting Corporal within the HQ Cairo Brigade. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eHARRY CLAUDE ALEXANDER married ANNIE BESSIE HARRISON at Hull on the 9\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of April 1924, but they later separated, and in 1939, he was listed within the 1939 Register, without his wife, and with his profession described as ‘commercial traveller’, as his father had been in 1911. HARRY died in 1969 with his death registered at Liverpool.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eSELLER NOTE = This pair of medals were from a collection, 7 x medals in total, all awarded to soldiers with the surname ALEXANDER, and they were purchased in the believe that at least some would have been related to each other. From the research conducted, this has been found NOT to be the case, however, those seeking medals in the ALEXANDER surname should consider the others just in case they are connected in some way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;\"\u003eSELLER NOTE = Only very limited research has been conducted into this medal and its recipient.....Supporting documentation obtained and \/ or created during this research will be provided.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Maddox Medals \u0026 Militaria ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54640550379866,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1013\/7180\/6042\/files\/IMG_4693.jpg?v=1787749204","url":"https:\/\/maddoxmedals.co.uk\/products\/ww1-medal-pair-british-war-medal-victory-medal-awarded-to-private-s-406066-harry-claude-alexander-of-the-army-service-corps-interesting-service-history-with-3-x-infantry-regiments-and-the-a-s-c-in-egypt","provider":"Maddox Medals \u0026 Militaria ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}