Bill Alexander (British politician)
Bill Alexander | |
|---|---|
Alexander in Spain c. 1937 | |
| Birth name | William Alexander |
| Born | 13 June 1910 |
| Died | 11 July 2000 (aged 90) |
| Allegiance | Spanish Republic United Kingdom |
| Branch | International Brigades British Army |
| Rank | Battalion Commander Captain |
| Unit | The "Abraham Lincoln" XV International Brigade Reconnaissance Corps |
| Commands | 15th Anti-Tank Battery British Battalion |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | Cited for bravery (1937) Awarded with Spanish citizenship for his support of the Spanish republicans (1996) |
| Alma mater | University of Reading Royal Military Academy Sandhurst |
| Spouse | Lena |
| Children | 2 |
William Alexander (13 June 1910 – 11 July 2000) was a leading activist within the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), most known for commanding the British Battalion of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. During World War II he underwent a commissioning course at Sandhurst military academy, graduating top of his year. He then served in Germany, Italy and Northern Africa, during which he was promoted to the rank of captain in the Reconnaissance Corps. Later in life he became an author, the vice-chairman of the International Brigade Association, and the president of London's Marx Memorial Library. Alexander spent the remainder of his life promoting Marxism–Leninism, and was a member of the CPGB until the party was dissolved in 1991.