Private 52217 Alexander Randle
Killed in Action on Sunday, 1st September 1918, age 19.
Buried in Grave I. B. 12. at Favreuil British Cemetery, Pas De Calais, France.
16th Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment. 15th Brigade of 5th Division.
Formerly 98249 Notts & Derby Regiment.
Son of Joseph and Mary Jane Randle.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Tipton, Resident: Unknown.
First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.
Commemorated on the St. Mark's Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.
Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/565192/
Genealogical Data
Birth of Alexander Randle registered September quarter 1899 in Dudley.
1901 Census
3 Walker Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Joseph Randall (60, Canal Boatman, born Dudley), his wife Mary Jane (41, born Tipton), and their 4 children: Jetta (17, Domestic Servant, born Tipton), Charlie (9, born Tipton), Daniel (6, born Tipton), and Alexander (1, born Tipton).
1911
The family seems to have broken up, with no trace of the parents Joseph and Mary Jane. Charlie and Daniel, both Canal Boatmen, were boarding at 110 Bridge Road, Tipton.
Alexander (Randle) was an inmate at the Dudley Union Children's Home in Cradley Road, Cradley Heath. He was recorded as aged 12 and born Toll End, Tipton.
Personal Data
Alexander's surname is spelt Randle on CWGC, SDGW, his Medal Index Card, and Birth Registration, but as Randall on the St Mark's Memorial.
At Alexander's death, he had been over-paid by £0/11/4d (11 shillings and 4 pence); there is no evidence of the army attempting to re-claim this. His War Gratuity was £5/0/0d (5 pounds exactly), this was paid to his father, Joseph, in November 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Alexander had enlisted in June 1917.
Action resulting in his death
On August 21st 1918 the 16th Royal Warwicks (the 3rd Birmingham Pals) made an advance of over 8000 yards through Bucquoy and Achiet le Petit, capturing all its objectives, several hundred prisoners and a large number of machine and field guns. On August 23rd it attacked again with the village of Irles as its objective. In spite of fierce enemy resistance and machine gun fire, they swept through to a line just in front of Irles, capturing a large number of prisoners and machine guns. Fresh troops were brought into the attack and Irles was taken that day.
The Battalion, after a brief period for rest and reorganisation, were back in action. At this stage they were generally used as close support to the 37th and New Zealand Divisions pushing the Germans back past Bapaume in the direction of Cambrai. In this role the Battalion was used if a German counter-attack materialised or if an attack was being held up. Casualties continued to mount with 15 men killed on 1st September and 14 on 2nd September, the latter to bombing from a German aircraft.
Alexander is recorded as having been killed in action on 1st September and is buried in Favreuil British Cemetery, just a mile north of Bapaume.
Newspaper Cuttings
None.