Alexander, William
Rifleman
No. 1091, 14th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Died of wounds on Wednesday 15 August 1917 (aged 19)
Buried:
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery (Grave V B 6)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Bangor and District War Memorial
Ballygrainey Presbyterian Church
Brother of Lance Corporal Robert Alexander No. 6251
BIOGRAPHY
William Alexander was born on 26 February 1898 in the townland of Cottown, Donaghadee and he was the second son of James and Isabella (Bella) Alexander (nee Boal) who were married on 22 May 1896 in Second Newtownards Presbyterian Church. James Alexander from Cottown was a son of Andrew Alexander, a farmer. Isabella Boal from Cottown was a daughter of Robert Boal, a labourer.
The Alexander family lived in the townland of Cottown, Donaghadee.
James Alexander was an agricultural labourer and he and Isabella had at least nine children:
Robert (born 10 August 1896 in Ballygrainey)
William (born 26 February 1898 in Cottown)
Mary (born 7 April 1900 in Cottown)
Rose (born 2 April 1902 in Cottown)
Andrew (born 16 December 1904 in Cottown)
Margaret (Maggie, born 18 September 1907 in Cottown)
Jane (born 13 May 1910 in Cottown)
Isabella (born 29 May 1913 in Cottown; died of gastro-enteritis 10 December 1915)
John (born 20 June 1915 in Cottown)
William Alexander enlisted in Donaghadee and he served with the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 109th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division. Rifleman William Alexander was 19 when he died after being wounded in the front line on 15 August 1917, the day before the start of the Battle of Langemarck.
Rifleman William Alexander was buried in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Belgium and he is commemorated on Bangor and District War Memorial and in Ballygrainey Presbyterian Church.