Lives of the First World War

1914 - 1917

Alexander Watt McMillan was born on 28 December 1895 at Saltwater Creek in North Canterbury. He was the youngest of eleven children of Henry McKewon McMillan and Catherine Orr Morrison. Alexander attested in the NZ Army on 18th of November 1915 at Trentham. On his attestation papers under the question “have you ever served in any military or naval force” he stated 13th North Canterbury Regiment and that he had been registered for compulsory military training. His Army number was 21/2341 and he served in the 3rd Battalion 3rd N.Z. (Rifle) Brigade. Alexander listed his brother John (Jock) McMillan at Waikuku as his last employer and his mother Mrs C O McMillan as his next of Kin. His description noted as 6 feet tall with dark complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair and he passed his physical examination apart from dental work that needed to be done. Alexander made a 'paybook' Will and noted his mother as the only beneficiary. He served in New Zealand from 16 Nov 1915 until 1 Apr 1916. He then served overseas from 2 April 1916. Alexander embarked on the “Ivernia” from Wellington on the 1st of April 1916 he disembarked in Suez on 2 May 1916 and arrived in Alexandria on 20 May 1916. The “Ivernia” was torpedoed in the Mediterranean on 1st Jan 1917 with 121 casualties. At the time she was carrying some 2400 troops from the UK. Cunard then retired her Captain, William Thomas Turner to a desk job as he had also captained the “Lusitania” when she was torpedoed. On the 2nd of June 1916 Alexander was in the 2nd Battalion 3rd NZRB at Etaples (in Northern France) then on the 30 Jul 1916 was transferred back to the 3rd Battalion In the Field. In May 1916 the 2nd Battalion 3rd Rifle Brigade had had a small experience of guerrilla warfare against the Senussi in NW Egypt but the remainder of the Brigade (this included Alexander) had seen no actual service at all. 29 October 1916 Alexander was sent to Divisional School and the same day was appointed Lance Corporal. He rejoined his unit on 11 November and appointed acting Corporal on 9 December 1916 20 January 1917 found Alexander in No 3 NZ Field Ambulance in the Field and on the 22 January he was admitted to No 7 General hospital at St Omer. The next 3 months Alexander was variously either in hospital (he suffered from a severe case of the mumps) working with the 3rd NZ Field Ambulance or rejoining his unit 3rd Battalion 3rd NZ Rifle Brigade. On the 16th June he was wounded in action and the 19th June sees him back at the 77th Field Ambulance. On 25 June 1917 Alexander was in Arques arrested for disobeying an order given by his superior officer in that “he did not attend physical drill class when ordered to do so” He was reverted to ranks and time in confinement awaiting trial of 10 days. 26 July Alexander rejoined his unit in the Field the 3rd NZRB. 3 August 1917 saw Alexander on leave to the UK and it is then that the accompanying photograph must have been taken in Dublin Ireland. He rejoined his unit on the 10th August and on the 31st was again appointed Lance Corporal. Battle of PASSCHENDAELE. The troops of the 3rd Canterbury Battalion who had stayed at Goldfish Chateau left there at 5pm on October 3rd and joined the rest of the Battalion in the old German support trenches. All officers and non commissioned officers then went forward to reconnoitre the position and the Battalion moved forward and bivouacked in shell holes and during the night the enemy shelled the assembly area but caused only 2 casualties. However, there was a great enemy barrage later on and a good many casualties occurred nearly all from machine gun fire. There was to be another attack and the NZ Division was entrusted to the 2nd Brigade on the right and the 3rd Rifle Brigade on the left. The latter Brigade had been detached from the Division and had not had any rest or training for the battle. It had returned to the Division early on October 8th. 10th October 1917 Alexander was appointed Corporal. The attack on 12th October was a complete failure as there was acres of uncut barbed wire that the soldiers could not penetrate and hundreds died under withering machinegun fire from the German defenders. The Commanding Officers of all four battalions all realised and agreed that it was impossible to advance till the wire had been cut and the pill boxes destroyed. All communications with brigade headquarters had failed and the Commanding officers decided to consolidate where they were. At 12.45pm orders were received from Brigade that the battalions were to be reorganized and the attack renewed at 3pm. The Battalion commanders and Brigade major decided that any attempt to attack would be folly. Apart from these considerations the men were exhausted by fighting and floundering in the mud, and casualties had been very heavy especially among officers and noncommissioned officers. It was in this battle that Alexander among thousands of others died – 12th October 1917.

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