Private Alexander Eker
1st Battalion, Royal Guernsey Light Infantry

French born in 1888 at Flammanville, Normandy. Son of Bartolo August Eccher and Marie LeCarpentier

Alec enlisted in the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry during WW1. He was in the service battalion which left the Island to train in England on 1st June 1917, he returned to Guernsey on furlow during September 1917 prior to the unit's posting to France on 26 September. Whilst in the Island he married Elsie Sebire on 20th September at the Vale Church.

On arriving in France the RGLI was deployed at Ypres (Wipers), then was involved in the attack at Cambrai on 20th November, the unit was deployed in the Bois Nuef (Nine wood) area, defending a small village. The Germans mounted a massive counter attack between 30 November and 2nd December. The village changed hands several times with bitter hand to hand combat.

Alec was wounded on the 30th November and evacuated to hospital in England on 14th December, from where he returned to the Island and was discharged on 19th April 1918. He lost the middle finger on his right hand and lost full use of the remaining fingers, which meant that he was not able to pull the trigger on a rifle, not much use to a fighting soldier !

Jeff Eker (Grandson)