Field Marshal Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis

Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofic George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis

• Born on 10 December 1891.
• Son of Major James Alexander, 4th Earl of Caledon and Lady Elizabeth Graham-Toler.
• Married Lady Margaret Diana Bingham, daughter of George Charles Bingham, 5th Earl of Lucan and Violet Sylvia Blanche Spender Clay, on 14 October 1931.
• Died on 16 June 1969 at age 77.3
• Educated at Harrow School, Harrow on the Hill, London, England. and ar Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Berkshire, England.
• Fought in the First World War, where he was wounded three times and mentioned in despatches five times.
• Decorated with the award of the Companion, Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.)
• Decorated with the award of the Military Cross (M.C.)
• Decorated with the award of the Legion of Honour.
• Temporary Brigadier and Brigade-Commander of the Indian Army in 1934.
• Commander of the Nowshera Brigade between 1934 and 1938 at India.
• Invested as a Companion, Order of the Star of India (C.S.I.) in 1936.
• Aide-de-Camp to HM King Edward VIII in 1936.
• Colonel in 1937 in the service of the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment.
• Major-General in 1937.
• Invested as a Companion, Order of the Bath (C.B.) in 1938.
• Commander of the 1st Division, Aldershot between 1938 and 1940.
• General Officer in Command of the Southern Command between 1940 and 1942.
• General in 1942.
• Invested as a Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Bath (G.C.B.) in 1942.
• General Officer in Command of the forces in Burma in 1942.
• Commander-in-Chief of the forces in the Middle East in 1942.
• Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the forces in North Africa in 1943.
• Commander-in-Chief of the Italy between 1943 and 1944.
• Supreme Allied Commander of the Mediterranean between 1944 and 1945.
• Aide-de-Camp General to HM King George VI between 1944 and 1946.
• Invested as a Knight Grand Cross, Order of St. Michael and St. George (G.C.M.G.) in 1946.
• Invested as a Knight, Order of the Garter (K.G.) in 1946.
• Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada between 1946 and 1952.
• Created 1st Viscount Alexander of Tunis, of Errigal, co. Donegal [U.K.] on 1 March 1946.
• He adopted Lady Susan Mary Alexander.
• Invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) in 1952.
• Invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Canada] in 1952.
• Minister of Defence between 1952 and 1954.
• Created 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis [U.K.] on 14 March 1952.
• Created 1st Baron Rideau, of Ottawa and of Castle Derg, co. Tyrone [U.K.] on 14 March 1952.
• Lord-Lieutenant of the County of London between 1957 and 1965.
• Decorated with the award of the Order of Merit (O.M.) in 1959.
• Constable of the Tower of London between 1960 and 1965.
• Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London between 1965 and 1966.

He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.

Children of Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofic George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis and Lady Margaret Diana Bingham

• Lady Rose Maureen Alexander b. 28 Oct 1932
• Shane William Desmond Alexander, 2nd Earl Alexander of Tunis b. 30 Jun 1935
• Hon. Brian James Alexander b. 31 Jul 1939
• Lady Susan Mary Alexander b. 26 Feb 1948

The Peerage

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Alexander

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7471224

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/people_alexander_harold.html

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0018460/bio

http://thepeerage.com/p4171.htm#i41704

http://ww2gravestone.com/people/alexander-earl-of-tunis-harold-rupert-leofric-george/

https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Rupert_Alexander

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Alexander,_1st_Earl_Alexander_of_Tunis