Page 260 - They Also Served

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Bill Alexander 1941.
The son of a carpenter, William
Alexander was born in Ringwood,
Hampshire, on 13th June 1910 into
a large working-class family. Strongly
influenced by his mother’s left-wing
views, he joined the Communist Party
of Great Britain (CPGB) in 1932 while
studying chemistry at the University of
Reading. A prominent member of the
anti-fascist movement, he was present at
the Battle of Cable Street on 4th October 1936, where a crowd of activists prevented Sir Oswald Mosley’s BUF from marching through the East End of London.
In early 1937, Alexander volunteered for the British Battalion of the International Brigade, fighting for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. Almost immediately in action at the Battle of Brunete, he was one of only 42 survivors out of the original strength of 300. Promoted to political commissar, he saw further action at the Battle of Belchite and, by now in command of the British Battalion, at Teruel, one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Wounded in the shoulder, with the bullet exiting through the middle of his back, and he was evacuated back to the UK in June 1938.
By now, holding impeccable left-wing credentials, Alexander was made the Merseyside general secretary of the CPGB. However, after the outbreak of war, his attempts to apply for officer training were thwarted, although he was allowed to enlist in the military police. Finally, the Duchess of Atholl took up his case. Known as ‘The Red Duchess’, she had served as a civilian observer in Spain and, eventually, lobbied for the case to be raised in parliament, arguing that Alexander had already shed blood fighting the fascists and displayed leadership qualities that were much in need. Finally entering Sandhurst, Alexander was commissioned into the Lancashire Fusiliers on 13th September 1941 and later served in the Reconnaissance Corps in North Africa, Italy and Germany. Always ready to criticise his superiors, he was viewed with suspicion, none more so than when he encouraged soldiers to vote against Churchill and the Conservative Party in the July 1945 general election.
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