McKee, Alexander
Lieutenant
10th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Thursday 22 November 1917 (aged 35)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Cambrai Memorial, France (Panel 10)
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
BIOGRAPHY
The death of Lieutenant Alexander McKee was reported in the Newtownards Chronicle under the headline Newtownards Resident Bereaved. The report stated that he was the only son of the late Alexander McKee of the Ulster Spinning Company Ltd and Mrs McKee of 20 Madison Avenue, Antrim Road, Belfast. He was a nephew of Mr David McKee of the Belfast Banking Company and of Miss A. McKee, Frances Street, Newtownards.
Alexander McKee was born on 26 June 1882 at 5 Urban Terrace, Belfast and he was a son of Alexander and Agnes McKee (nee Patton) who were married on 14 December 1875 in First Donaghadee Presbyterian Church. Alexander McKee from Belfast was a son of John McKee, a merchant. Agnes Patton from Hogstown, Donaghadee was a daughter of James Patton, a farmer.
Alexander and Agnes McKee had at least four children:
Eleanor Nelson (born 16 October 1876 at 8 Landscape Terrace, Belfast)
Louisa Frances Patton (born 9 November 1878 in Woodville Terrace, Belfast; died of bronchitis 17 April 1879 aged 5 months)
Agnes Patton (born 16 November 1880 in Woodville Terrace, Belfast)
Alexander (born 26 June 1882 at 5 Urban Terrace, Belfast)
Alexander McKee Senior died of tuberculosis on 9 March 1883 (aged 32) and was buried in Belfast City Cemetery (Grave L. 516) beside his infant daughter Louisa.
Before the Great War Alexander McKee Junior worked as a draper’s assistant and he was a member of the Young Citizen Volunteers. When war was declared he joined the Black Watch and subsequently obtained a commission in the Royal Irish Rifles. He was stationed in Dublin in 1916 during the Easter Rising and then went to France. Lieutenant Alexander McKee was 35 when he was killed in action on 22 November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial in France and in the Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour.
His mother, Agnes, died on 17 August 1937 (aged 81) and was buried beside her late husband.
His sister Agnes died on 8 February 1964 (aged 83) and was buried in the same grave as her parents.