Rifleman Robert Alexander

Rifleman Robert Johnstone Alexander, 1st/8th ( Territorial ) Battalion London Regiment ( Post Office Rifles ). He was killed in France on 21st May 1916, aged 37. He had been born in Roxburgh and was the son of William Alexander of “Rose Cottage”, Roxburgh, Kelso. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Arras, France. At that time the Battalion were holding trenches near Vimy Ridge and on that date they suffered a heavy German bombardment prior to an infantry attack. It is likely Rifleman Alexander was killed by shellfire. Before enlisting he had been employed as a rural postman based in Kelso. He had enlisted in April 1915 before joining his Battalion in France.