Alexander McConnell

Died of Wounds on the 14/05/1917 received at the 2nd Battle of Doiran, Salonika

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 20/09/1915 but soon moved and by November 1915 they were at Salonika. They were part of the 77th Brigade, 26th Division. Alexander was reported missing on the 09/05/1917 at Salonika. He Died from Wounds received at the 2nd Battle of Doiran. The Battle for a breakthrough in the Bulgarian positions began on the 22nd April and continued intermittently until the 9th May 1917. The British infantry began its attack on the night of the 24th - 25th April - 12 companies attacked the Bulgarian 2nd Brigade and after a bloody fight managed to take the "Nerezov", "Knyaz Boris" and "Pazardzhik" positions. After a Bulgarian counter-attack the British were repulsed with heavy casualties and by 8 pm had retreated. The British assaults on the right and central fronts were also repulsed with heavy casualties after help from the Bulgarian artillery. The British attacks in the next two days were defeated by constant Bulgarian fire and counter-attacks. Due to this fire the British withdrew to their initial positions on the 27th April, the Bulgarians immediately started to reconstruct the destroyed fortifications. Due to criticism by their high command, the British made new attempts at a breakthrough. On the 8th May, after a long artillery barrage, they began another attack. The main assault started at 9 pm with five waves of British troops attacking the Bulgarian positions. After four attacks during the night of the 8th / 9th May the British were defeated and suffered enormous casualties. The British Salonika campaign saw few Allied successes, with some 2,800 servicemen Killed in Action, 1,400 dying from their wounds and a further 4,200 from sickness (likely malaria). The Doiran region saw the fiercest fighting, particularly during the 1917-1918 period. Alexander got his 1st stripe in France and his 2nd in Salonika. He is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for Alexander's Newspaper clippings x 3, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, his name on the Doiran Memorial, his CWGC Grave Registration, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Cap Badge and Alexander's Pension Records x 3. Finally, see photos x 14 for the 26th Division Order of Battle (the Division he was serving with when he died).