Sergeant Alexander Flemming Edwards
Awarded VC, 31st July - 1st August 1917

Alexander was born on 4 November 1885 at Drainie Stotfield, Lossiemouth, Morayshire. He was the son of Alexander Edwards, a fisherman. Alexander was educated at Lossiemouth School and was a caddie to the gentry who came to play at the Moray Links golf club. He became a cooper working in the herring fishery, serving his apprenticeship with Thomas Jenkins, a fish curer of Burgh head. He also worked for James Gerry of Buckie and before the war was employed by Thomas Davidson of Aberdeen. He served with the 1/6th (Morayshire) Battalion, the Seaforth Highlanders, 51st Highland Division and joined the battalion at Elgin in July 1914.

He survived the Somme only to be evacuated following a throat infection, spending six weeks in Hospital and two weeks leave in Lossiemouth. He was posted to a training Battalion. In June 1917 a draft for 1/6 battalion had fallen short of an NCO, he immediately volunteered.

On 31 July 1917 north of Ypres, Alexander was acting Company Sergeant Major for C Company. The Morayshire battalion formed part of the left wing of the second and were tasked with driving forward from the slopes of the Pilkem Ridge to the their final objective of straddling Steenbeck [possibly referring to Steenstraat]. C company was tasked to secure a bridgehead across the stream. Almost three hours after the attack began they set off from the assembly point at Muller Cottage. The advance becoming harder, due in part to the Flanders mud, finally slowed around the location of Macdonald’s Farm. C Company became involved with attacking the number machine gun emplacements hidden in the ruined buildings.

The Seaforths carried on to the shattered Kitchener woods taking heavy casualties and Alexander recalled:

"One gun in particular was very troublesome... The officer in charge of the company was knocked out of action, so I went to locate it. I got round behind, and hid in a shell hole which commanded a good view of the gun. I could see right into the door of the pill-box. I had two revolvers in my belt and a bullet stopped the career of the first man who was firing the gun, and kick he gave. The other nine of the crew will trouble our boys no more..."

Edwards assaulted had been noticed and he went on: "I then made back the way I came to ask the men to come on, when I was hit on the arm by a snipers bullet. I thought we could be doing without him, and a bit of luck I attended to him. He is quiet enough now.”

According to the unit historian the sniper had been very active and had caused havoc and that Alexander had stalked him across the open and along the snipe's line of fire. Despite being heavily wounded he insisted that the on staying with the company as they neared the steenbeck. At this point they came under heavy fire. Covered by a Lewis gun they made their way to within 100 yards of the final objective. Protected by a tank, they began digging a trench. Alexander was determined that the company should reach the objective on the other side of the Steenbeck.

For the time being the Seaforths dug in and saved an injured Major of 1/1st Kings Edward's Horse who had been left out in the open following their attack on the enemy positions, and had been decimated in the process. Edwards lifted him and brought him back despite the intense enemy fire.

In the early afternoon he led the final attack across the surviving Bridge and captured Maison du Rasa and Maison Bulgare. Despite victory being in their midst they were ordered to withdraw after the bridgehead had been made untenable by enemy success further south.

He stayed with his men throughout the night despite his shrapnel wounds to the knee. He reported to Battalion HQ the next day and was sent to hospital. Edwards despite being heavily bandaged only complained about how awful the weather was.

Edwards remarked: "If I had not gone on, it would have not given the boys much encouragement. The wound on my arm was worst. I was too big a mess to think of the others. The sleeve was cut from my tunic, my hose tops were down over my boots, and I was covered in mud. Oh what a game."

The citation in The London Gazette (845), dated 14th September 1917, reads as follows:

"For most conspicuous bravery in attack, when, having located a hostile machine gun in wood, he, with great dash and courage, led some men against it, killed all the team and captured the gun. Later, when a sniper was causing casualties, he crawled out to stalk him, and although badly wounded in the arm, went on and killed him. One officer only was now left with the company, and, realising that the success of the operation depended on the capture of the furthest objective, Sergeant. Edwards, regardless of his wound, led his men on till this objective was captured. He subsequently showed great skill in consolidating his position, and very great daring in personal reconnaissance. Although again twice wounded on the following day, this very gallant N.C.O. maintained throughout a complete disregard for personal safety, and his high example of coolness and determination engendered a fine fighting spirit in his men"

Alexander was awarded his Victoria Cross by King George on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace on 26th September 1917. On the 4th October 1917 a presentation was made to him of a gold watch, purse and War Bonds by the people of Lossiemouth.

On the 21st March 1918 the Germans began the ferocious Kaiserschlacht spring offensive and on 24th March, Edwards was missing in action at Loupart wood, east of Arras, France. For three days the Division fought in trenches, then for two days fought stubborn rear-guard actions.

During those critical days of March 1918 the casualties of the Division numbered 219 officers and 4,666 other ranks, of which 2,714 were missing.

Alexander is commemorated at the Arras Memorial (bay 8) in Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras.

Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery is in the western part of the town of Arras in the Boulevard du General de Gaulle, near the Citadel, approximately 2 kilometres due west of the railway station.

The Commonwealth section of the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery was begun in March 1916, behind the French military cemetery established earlier. It continued to be used by field ambulances and fighting units until November 1918.

The cemetery was enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields and from two smaller cemeteries in the vicinity.

The cemetery contains 2,651 Commonwealth Burials of the First World War.

The picture on the left hand side shows Alexander, John and their brother William.

The Picture taken on the right hand side shows Alexander with his fiancée, Bella Christie, and his sister Janet.

The details in this account and photographs have been taken, with kind permission, from a booklet produced by Mr Gary Hadaway. The booklet gave details of the Edwards family and war details of Sergeant Alexander Flemming Edwards VC, his brother Company Sergeant Major John Edwards MM and their cousin Captain George Eric Edwards DSO.

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