Alexander (known as Alec by his family) was the eldest child of Alexander and Constance Rae. He was born and lived in Rotherham, Yorkshire.

Alexander had a brother Duncan (13-05-1927) and five sisters. Pauline (25-12-1925), Shirley (29-05-1928), Alison, Viviene and Lennox (01-08-1943). Two children, a boy and a girl died as infants.

I assume that he was called up when he was eighteen years old. Initially he served with the Beds and Herts Regiment but was subsequently transferred to the Suffolks. One of my aunts told me that he worked in the ‘cookhouse’ (catering). He arrived on Sword beach, we think, on D-day. I don’t think that Alec was much of a letter writer, so I have no idea what happened to him between June 1944 and the time of his death.

When I was a child, my mother told me that Alec had originally been buried in Belgium and was subsequently moved to Overloon. My parents both served in the British Army after the war – my mother as a clerk and my father in bomb disposal. In about 1954, after their marriage they visited Alec’s grave. I don’t know where they stayed, but it was some distance from Overloon, and the Dutch police took them to the cemetery! I don’t know if this was always done for the families of the soldiers, or if they just felt sorry for my parents and wanted to help. Whatever it was, my mother to this day remains thankful for that act of kindness. It enabled my father to take photographs of the grave and surrounding area – the only sight my grandparents ever had of their son’s grave.

  Carol Beeton, niece of Alexander