Private 1738, D.C.M., 1/6th Battalion Manchester Regiment
Died of wounds Wednesday 11th August 1915, age 25.
Remembered on the Helles Memorial, Turkey, panel 158 to 170.
Former student of Electrical Engineering.
Alexander was born in 1890 at Barrow-In-Furness to George McLean Doig and his wife Mary Ann Tait Doig (nee McLaren) of Heaton Moor, Stockport. He was educated at Ducie Avenue School and The Tech before entering Manchester University (Faculty of Technology) in 1906. In 1912 he awarded a Certificate Tech (Electrical Engineering). From 1912 to 1914 he was a member of the University Officer Training Corps. He was employed as an electrical engineer by British Westinghouse, Trafford Park, Manchester and played for the first team of Eccles Borough Football Club being noted as “one of the cleverest wing half backs the club ever possessed”.
Alexander appears to have joined the Manchester Regiment few months before the outbreak of war. He was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.) the citation reading: “For conspicuous gallantry and initiative on the 4th June 1915, on the Gallipoli Penninsula. Taking six men with him he captured a trench, thereby bringing fire to bear on the enemy and repel a counter-attack. It was due to his action that the trench was not only taken but successfully held.” He died on 11th August as a result of wounds received in fighting east of Krithia.