Born on 26 December 1890 in Boissevain, Manitoba - son of Alexander, Sr., and Mary Munro, Vancouver, British Columbia - at the time of his enlistment in 1915: trade as McGill Student; single; no current or previous military service; Presbyterian; height of 5 feet 5 inches; chest of 36.5 inches fully expanded; medium complexion; brown eyes; medium hair.
Attended local public and high schools and Britannia High School, Vancouver, British Columbia - attended McGill College, British Columbia, in the faculty of Arts from 1913 to 1915.
Joined the 1st McGill University Company, 38th Battalion, CEF, in Vancouver, British Columbia, on 5 March 1915 (number 411062) - departed for England in May 1915 - transferred to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in France on 16 July 1915 - captured and made a prisoner of war at Sanctuary Wood, Belgium, on 2 June 1916 "after trying, with the help of a comrade, to retain a machine gun emplacement. Wounded and burned with liquid fire, they were made prisoner by the Germans and after five days journey across Germany, arrived at the Prisoners of War Camp, Dulmen." - worked as chaplain under Prisoners Church Committee from October 1916 to May 1917 - "He was instrumental in sending a secret report of camp conditions to the Dutch Ambassador in Berlin through whose efforts conditions were improved." - moved to Senne Camp in May 1917 - released from Germany in December 1918 - repatriated to Canada and returned to Vancouver, British Columbia, in April 1919.
Attended the University of British Columbia in the faculty of Arts from 1919 to 1920 - struck by an attack of influenza in April 1920, which "so impaired his health that it was necessary for him to spend the following winter in the south." - died on 12 March 1921 in Vancouver from tuberculosis contracted in wartime prison camps.
(sources: Library and Archives Canada (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca), online attestation papers; Canadian War Museum, 19740281-001, Manu 58F 2 3, 207th Canadian Infantry Battalion and 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion, Nominal Roll; The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa Regimental Museum, A400-0007, Master Personnel List for the 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force; anonymous, Record of Service 1914-1918: University of British Columbia, McGill British Columbia, Vancouver College (Vancouver: Lionel & Ward, Ltd., 1924), p.98)
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