252054 Pte. Alexander Peden British Army 8th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers from:18 Furnace Place, Askam in Furness, Cumbria (d.1st September 1915) Alexander Peden was born in Askam in 1891 the son of David and Elizabeth Leavers Peden of 18 Furnace Place, Askam. Alexander's father was a labourer in the iron ore mines, originally from Ireland, his mother was from West Bromwich. In 1901 Alexander was living with his parents and siblings James, David, Edward and Susan. A son William died in 1900 aged 11 months. His sister Sarah was a servant living in Scotforth near Lancaster. Before the war Alexander was a mine worker in one of the local mines. In 1911 Alexander was boarding with Agnes Duke in Leigh, Lancashire, where he was working as a coal miner below ground. His father in 1907 aged 54 years and his mother in 1934 aged 73 years. They are both interred in St Peter's Churchyard.
Alexander signed in up in Ashington, Northumberland in 1915 joining the 8th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. Alexander was deployed over-seas on 10th of July 1915. The 8th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, was raised at Newcastle in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army.
After initial training close to home, they moved to Belton Park, Grantham. On the 4th of April 1915 the Division assembled at Witley and Frensham for final training. They served with 34th Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division proceeding to Gallipoli in July 1915 sailing from Liverpool to Murdos on board SS Aquitania, landing near Lala Baba at Suvla Bay on the 6th of August 1915.
On the 20th December 1915 the Division was withdrawn from Gallipoli to Imbros and then to Egypt in January 1916 where they took over defence of a section of the Suez canal. Alexander died of his wounds in the military hospital in Alexandria, after not quite a month in Turkey. It is likely that he was wounded at the Battle for Scimitar Hill (21st August 1915) in which in one day of fighting the British suffered 5,300 casualties out of the 14,300 soldiers who participated.
The Barrow News of 18 September 1915 tells us:
Died Of Wounds. On Friday last Mrs. Peden, Furness-place, received official news that her son, Private A. Peden, Northumberland Fusiliers, had died of his wounds on September 1st. We reported in the news previously that Private Peden had been severely wounded by a shell while serving in the Dardanelles. He was a fine young fellow, steady and obedient, and won for himself many friends who regret the sad news, and condole with his widowed mother. As a token of respect Mr. Ward, headmaster of the Junior Council School, had the Union Jack run half-mast on the flag pole in the school yard.
Remembered with Honour at Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery.
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