Campbell, Alexander
Lance Corporal
No. 16321, ‘A’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 24)
Buried:
Suzanne Military Cemetery No. 3, France (Grave II. D. 12)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Donaghadee and District War Memorial
Shore Street Presbyterian Church Donaghadee
BIOGRAPHY
Alexander Campbell was born on 18 February 1892 in Mount Street, Donaghadee and he was the youngest son of David and Sarah Jane Campbell (nee Smyth, sometimes Smith) who were married on 30 December 1886 in First Holywood Presbyterian Church. David Campbell from Donaghadee was a son of Hugh Campbell, a farmer. Sarah Jane Smyth (aged 18) from Donaghadee was a daughter of Alexander Smyth, a farmer.
The Campbell family lived in Mount Street and Railway Yard, Donaghadee.
David Campbell worked as a railway ganger and he and Sarah Jane had five children:
William (born 20 September 1887 in Mount Street, Donaghadee; died 9 August 1959)
Hugh (born 17 March 1890 in Mount Street, Donaghadee)
Alexander (born 18 February 1892 in Mount Street, Donaghadee)
Mary (Minnie, born 4 October 1894 in Station Yard, Donaghadee; died of tuberculosis 18 July 1912, aged 17)
Sarah (born 27 April 1900 in Railway Yard, Donaghadee)
The four eldest children were baptised in Shore Street Presbyterian Church Donaghadee.
A week after giving birth to Sarah, her mother, Sarah Jane, died of puerperal fever on 5 May 1900 (aged 31). David Campbell died on 8 February 1933 (aged 59).
After leaving school Alexander Campbell worked as a general labourer.
Both of his brothers, William and Hugh Campbell, were railway workers.
Alexander Campbell enlisted in Donaghadee and served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division.
Rifleman Alexander Campbell (No. 16321) was 24 when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme and he was buried in Suzanne Military Cemetery No. 3, France.
Rifleman Alexander Campbell (No. 16321) is commemorated on Donaghadee and District War Memorial and in Shore Street Presbyterian Church Donaghadee.