32196 Gunner
18th Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery, 18th (Eastern) Division
Age: 33
Date of Death: 27.7.17
Buried: Dickebusch New Military Cemetery II.F.11 https://www.theypressalient.com/post/dickebusch-new-military-cemetery
Family history: Son of Margaret Walker, Davies Buildings, Howgate, Falkirk. Alexander was a Regular and went to France on 23 August 1914.
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The action leading to his death
The Divisional Ammunition Column collected ammunition from the Army Service Corps Divisional Ammunition Park for onward transportation to a re-filling point where it could be transferred to a Brigade Ammunition Column. When during 1916 Brigade  Ammunition Columns were dispensed with the Divisional Ammunition Column became responsible for transporting the ammunition to a re-filling point where it could be collected by ammunition wagons belonging to the individual batteries. At any one time, a Divisional Ammunition Column, together with the tactical units of the Division held one scale (the designated allocation of ammunition for the division). A second scale of ammunition was stored in the Divisional Ammunition Park whilst a third scale was stored in the Ordnance Depot. A Divisional Ammunition Column comprised 4 Sections, namely, No’s 1, 2 and 3 Sections which handled 18-pounder and small-arms ammunition, and No 4 Section which had a "Howitzer portion" for 4.5-inch and a "Heavy Portion" for 60-pounder ammunition. The latter portion was removed from the establishment in early in 1915 when the 60-pdr guns were withdrawn from divisions. DAC used horse-drawn ammunition wagons to collect ammo from the lorry-drawn Divisional Ammunition Parks (which were  Army Service Corps units) and take it as far forward as road conditions permitted, where it would be collected by the batteries and infantry brigades in the front lines. This was carried out at night and the enemy constantly shelled rear areas.
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Medals Awarded:
1914 Star & Clasp, The British War Medal, Victory Medal.
