FREYA’S STORY:  I was reading about the former pupils of our school who had lost their lives in the Great War in Miss Hobson’s history class and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read that Peter James Alexander had lived in my house. A young man who had walked through the same front door as me every day who sadly would never return.

We were having some work done on the house and as I was going on a school Battlefields trip I took a small piece of stone with me. It meant such a lot to leave the stone at Peter’s grave in Tyne Cot Cemetery, somehow taking a little piece of home to him. I can’t help feeling somehow connected to Peter, like I was meant to read about him in class and visit him in Belgium.

Peter is a part of my life now and I will never forget him.

Peter (James) Alexander, was born in Perth on the17th of February 1895. At this time his father was the Head Teacher of Sharp’s Institution, and they were living at Avon Villa, Abbott Street, Perth.

Some time later, they'd moved to Midfield, Glasgow Road, Perth. The family then consisted of Peter's father John, his mother Mary, Peter's eldest sister Margaret, Peter himself and his youngest sister Helen McNeven.  Also living at this address was Margaret Macdonald, the family's "general servant, domestic." 

An entry in the Perthshire Advertiser, on the 24th of October 1917, read: 

“OUR OWN MEN - PERTH OFFICER KILLED - CAPTAIN ALEXANDER, BLACK WATCH."  "Captain P. J. Alexander, M.C., Black Watch, killed in action, was the only son of Mr John Alexander, M.A., for many years headmaster of Sharp’s Institution, Perth, and now Director and Organiser of the continuation classes under the Perth School Board. Captain Alexander, who was in his 23rd year, had a brilliant scholastic and marked military career. He was educated at Sharp’s Institution, Perth; Fettes College, Edinburgh; and Balliol College, Oxford. At Balliol he maintained his early reputation, gaining a classical exhibition and a first class in classical moderations."

" In April, 1915, he was gazetted to the Black Watch, crossed to France in June, and was wounded at Authuille in November of the same year. The following October he returned to the front, and took part in the operations of his battalion until his death. After the battle of Arras he received a Military Cross ‘for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, leading his company with great dash and ability, obtaining his objective and capturing four officers and many other prisoners.’ Promoted to the rank of Captain, he met his death at the head of his company in a gallant attack on 12th October. The padre of the battalion writes:- ‘He had achieved great distinction in his scholastic career, marked distinction in his military career, and nothing in his life ever became him better than his death.’”

A memorial written by Stuart Alexander, in commemoration of Captain P. J. Alexander, M.C. reads:

“You gave your life so we, and our children's children may never have to face the same ultimate sacrifice”. 

Peter Alexander is also commemorated on the Perth, York Place, United Free Church War Memorial; the Fettes College War Memorial, Edinburgh; and the Balliol College Oxford, War Memorial.