Private Alexander Innes was 29 year old carpenter originally from Edinburgh when he attested into the 96th Battalion at Saskatoon in July 1916. He was an Acting Sergeant major when his battalion was absorbed by the 92nd Battalion in the UK and he reverted to the rank of Sergeant. He voluntarily reverted to the rank of Private on transfer to the 5th Reserve battalion so that he could be sent to the Front as a reinforcement. He was sent to the 15th Battalion in late November 1917 following the battle of Passchendaele and assigned to No. 2 Company. He served in the last 1917 trench tours at Avion in November and Loos in December. In 1918 he took part in the trench tours at Loos near Hill 70 in January and February. On February 13th a Brigade raid was conducted simultaneously by a number of frontline units under cover of an artillery and mortar bombardment against a number of points in the German line. The 15th Battalion carried out raid “B” from between the section of the line occupied by the 14th and 16th Battalions with two raiding parties under command of Lieutenant Donald and Sergeant Fraser moving through No-Man’s Land parallel to each other. They breached the enemy wire and got into the first line trenches with many Germans withdrawing down communication trenches to their second line. However, a number of Germans remained in dugouts that had to be cleared. As the right flank group worked down the trenches bombing dugouts, Corporal Innes was killed by a potato-masher lobbed out from one of the dugouts. When the trenches and dugouts were bombed and cleared, Lieutenant Donald and Sergeant Fraser’s groups were able to withdraw safely bringing Corporal Innes’ body with them. Innes was the sole fatal casualty of the raid and he is buried in Bully-Grenay Communal Cemetery, British Extension.

NOK: Son of John and Mary Innes, of Edinburgh, Scotland; husband of Jean Foster Innes, of 1215, Avenue F. North, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Jemie Innes (W) 1275 Ave. North, Saskatoon, SK