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The
Seventeenth Governor Genera, the last
titled holder of the office, and
probably the most universally popular of
all before him, was Viscount Alexander
of Tunis, who was Field Marshal and
deputy Commander to general Eisenhower
in the last stages of the Second World
War.
Born
on December 10th, 1891, Harold Alexander
was the third son of the 4th Earl of
Caledon in county Armagh, Ireland, and
was educated at Sandhurst for an army
career. Before he was 28, he commanded a
battalion of Irish Guards on the western
front in the First World War and won the
Military Cross, the Distinguished
Service Order and the Legion of Honour.
In
1939, at the outbreak of the Second
World War, Alexander commanded the first
division in France. As commander of the
First Army Corps, he directed the stand
at Dunkirk and the evacuation, and was
the last man to leave the beach. In
1942, he directed the difficult and
tragic withdrawal from Burma. When India
was threatened he was made Commander of
the Forces in the Middle East. He was
leader in the most important campaigns
in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, the
Balkans and finally at the surrender in
Southeast Europe.
Alexander, his lovely wife Margaret,
daughter of the Earl of Lucan, and their
three children came to Ottawa on April
12, 1946, when he was sworn in at
a great ceremony in the Senate Chamber.
Alexander mixed with Canadians to an
unprecedented degree. He skied, skated,
square danced, mage maple sugar, painted
and was an ardent sports fan. He
travelled widely and was a familiar
figure all over Canada and in Washington
DC. He entertained Princess Elizabeth,
the Duke of Edinburgh and Prime Minister
Churchill. He also witnessed the end of
the Mackenzie King era when the record
breaking Prime Minister retired in 1948
and died in 1952.
By
popular request, his term was extended
twice but early in 1952 he was recalled
to England for the important post of
Minister of Defence which he held until
1954.
Business interests occupied him after
his term in the in the government,
interests which frequently brought him
to Canada where he was always in great
demand by a host of friends and
admirers. In 1952 he was elevated to
Earl Alexander of Tunis, Baron Rideau of
Ottawa and Castle Derg.
In
1959 the Queen appointed Alexander to
the Order of Merit. Alexander lived
until June 16th, 1969 when he died of a
heart attack. His funeral was held at
Windsor Castle and he was buried at
Ridge near Tyttenhanger, his
Hertfordshire home. |
