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{{Short description|Royal Marine}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
|name= Samuel Giles William Alexander
'''Samuel Giles William Alexander''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|MC}} (16 June 1982 − 27 May 2011<ref name="GOV.UK">[https://www.gov.uk/government/fatalities/lieutenant-oliver-richard-augustin-and-marine-samuel-giles-william-alexander-mc-killed-in-afghanistan|title=Lieutenant Oliver Richard Augustin and Marine Samuel Giles William Alexander MC killed in Afghanistan] ''[[GOV.UK]]: [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]'', 29 May 2011]</ref>) was a [[Royal Marines|Royal Marine]] whose death by an [[improvised explosive device]] (IED) while on a patrol in 2011 during the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]] received 3/4 front page as part of cover story questioning the Government's foreign policy by his journalist father in ''[[The Independent Newspaper|The Independent]]'',<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/was-my-sons-death-in-afghanistan-a-price-worth-paying-2290769.html Was my son's death in Afghanistan a price worth paying?] Stuart Alexander, ''[[The Independent]]'', 30 May 2011</ref> which had taken a strong stance against parts of the United Kingdom's involvement in the [[War on Terror]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/jan/27/theindependent.pressandpublishing Independent tries direct hit on rival] Ciar Byrne, ''[[The Guardian]]'', January 2003</ref> Alexander's [[Military Cross]] awarded on previous [[tour of duty]] contributed to extensive national media coverage after the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] announcement<ref name="GOV.UK"/> of his and his patrol leader's deaths during [[Operation Herrick]] in [[Helmand Province]] in 2011.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8544915/Royal-Marine-killed-in-Afghanistan-was-awarded-Military-Cross-for-bravery.html Royal Marine killed in Afghanistan was awarded Military Cross for bravery] Murray Wardrop, ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'', 29 May 2011</ref><ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/military-cross-winner-is-one-of-two-131427 Military Cross winner is one of two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan] Chris Hughes, ''[[Daily Mirror]]'', 29 May 2011</ref><ref>[https://www.channel4.com/news/marine-war-hero-killed-alongside-patrol-leader-in-helmand Marine war hero killed alongside patrol leader in Helmond] ''[[Channel 4 News]]'', 29 May 2011</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/may/29/tributes-paid-royal-marines-killed-afghanistan Tributes paid to Royal Marines killed in Afghanistan] Haroon Siddique, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 29 May 2011</ref><ref>[https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/249646/War-hero-and-officer-die-in-Taliban-blast War hero and officer die in Taliban blast] John Ingham, ''[[Daily Express]]'', 30 May 2011</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-13805591 Funeral for Military Cross marine] ''[[BBC News]]'', 17 June 2011</ref> Their deaths were also later included in speech by {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|MP}} [[Richard Drax]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]<ref>[https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2015-09-16/debates/15091640000001/SgtAlexanderBlackman(MarineA) Sgt Alexander Blackman (Marine A)] ''[[Hansard]]'', Volume 599: Column 339WH, 16 September 2015</ref> and extensively referenced by national media as mitigating circumstances in connection with the 2013 conviction of Sgt. Alexander Blackman for murder of an injured Afghan combatant (a.k.a. [[2011 Helmand Province incident]]) and his subsequent reduced sentence in 2017 of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.<ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/death-of-adored-leader-left-marine-in-mood-for-murder-98252wlx5h5 Death of adored leader left marine in mood for murder] Tom Coghlan, ''[[The Times]]'', 9 November 2013,</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/05/royal-marine-alexander-blackman-murdered-taliban-anonymous Marine who murdered Taliban prisoner loses fight to remain anonymous] Steven Morris and Richard Norton-Taylor, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 5 December 2013</ref><ref>[https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/446935/Royal-Marine-who-murdered-insurgent-named-as-Sgt-Alexander-Wayne-Blackman Royal Marine who murdered insurgent named as Sgt Alexander Wayne Blackman] ''[[Daily Express]]'', 5 December 2013</ref><ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/15/marine-six-months-led-killing-taliban-insurgent/ Marine A: How six months of 'hell' led to killing of Taliban insurgent] Hayley Dixon, ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'', 28 March 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/marines-on-tour-from-hell-had-1-in-17-chance-of-death-or-serious-injury-8kpkgb7wd Marines on tour from hell had a 1 in 17 chance of death or injury] Sean O’Neill, ''[[The Times]]'', 15 March 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/top-brass-were-warned-about-out-of-control-marine-unit-lk6dzdhtn Top brass were warned about ‘out of control’ Marine unit] Sean O’Neill, ''[[The Times]]'', 16 March 2017</ref>
|image=
|image_size=
|caption=
|nickname=
|birth_date= {{Birth date|1982|6|16| df=yes}}
|death_date= {{Death date and age|2011|5|27|1982|6|16| df=yes}}
|birth_place= [[Hammersmith]], West London
|death_place= [[Helmand Province]], Afghanistan
|placeofburial= St. Mary's Churchyard, [[Bickleigh, South Hams]] District
|allegiance={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|branch= [[File:RoyalMarineBadge.svg|23px]] [[Royal Marines]]
|serviceyears= 2006–2011
|rank= [[Marines|Marine]]
|servicenumber=
|unit= [[42 Commando]]
|commands=
|battles= [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]]
* [[Operation Herrick]]
|awards= [[Military Cross]]
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
'''Samuel Giles William Alexander''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|MC}} (16 June 1982 - 27 May 2011); also known as Sam Alexander was a [[Royal Marines|Royal Marine]] awarded the [[Military Cross]] for gallantry in 2009 and killed on patrol in Afghanistan in 2011.<ref name="GOV.UK">[https://www.gov.uk/government/fatalities/lieutenant-oliver-richard-augustin-and-marine-samuel-giles-william-alexander-mc-killed-in-afghanistan Operations in Afghanistan: Lieutenant Oliver Richard Augustin and Marine Samuel Giles William Alexander MC killed in Afghanistan] [[GOV.UK]]: [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]], 29 May 2011</ref>

Alexander was born in [[Hammersmith]], West London, the son of Stuart Alexander, sports correspondent for [[The Independent Newspaper]],<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/was-my-sons-death-in-afghanistan-a-price-worth-paying-2290769.html Was my son's death in Afghanistan a price worth paying?] [[The Independent]], Stuart Alexander, 30 May 2011</ref> and his wife Serena Kirby, headmistress. He is the grandson of the English poet and non-fiction writer [[Angela Kirby]].

Educated at [[St Paul's School, London]].<ref>[https://opclub.stpaulsschool.org.uk/news/remembering-marine-sam-alexander-mc Remembering Marine Sam Alexander MC (1995-98)] Old Pauline Club: [[St Paul's School, London]]</ref>, he joined the Royal Marines in 2006 and was deployed to the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]] in 2009 with Kilo Company, [[42 Commando Royal Marines]]. Later that year, he was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery in charging down a group of insurgents with a pistol to provide cover for an injured colleague during [[Operation Herrick]] 9. The citation for his award said he carried out his brave actions "despite being completely exposed to heavy and accurate enemy fire".<ref name="GOV.UK"/><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/military-cross-for-marine-who-charged-at-taliban-1785435.html Military Cross for Marine who charged at Taliban] [[The Independent]], Cahal Milmo, 11 September 2009</ref>

Alexander and his [[Lieutenant]] Ollie Augustin were killed by an [[improvised explosive device]] (IED) while on a patrol in 2011 in the [[Nad-e Ali District]] of [[Helmand Province]] during [[Operation Herrick]] 14.<ref name="GOV.UK"/><ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8544915/Royal-Marine-killed-in-Afghanistan-was-awarded-Military-Cross-for-bravery.html Royal Marine killed in Afghanistan was awarded Military Cross for bravery], [[The Telegraph]], Murray Wardrop, 29 May 2011</ref><ref name="GOV.UK"/>
He received a funeral with full military honours on June 17, 2011 at the [[St Andrew's Church, Plymouth|Minster Church of St Andrew's, Plymouth]], and was buried at St. Mary's Churchyard, [[Bickleigh, South Hams]] District next to 42 Commando base at [[Bickleigh Barracks]].<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-13805591 Funeral for Military Cross marine Sam Alexander], [[BBC News]], 17 June 2011</ref><ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70591150/samuel-giles_william-alexander Samuel Giles William Alexander ], Find A Grave, 30 May 2011</ref>

He is survived by his wife Claire and son Leo, and is commemorated with an official plaque on [[Hammersmith Bridge]].<ref>[https://www.mylondon.news/news/local-news/fallen-hero-remembered-uk-troops-8005124 A fallen hero remembered as UK troops leave Helmand Province] MyLondon: News, Camilla Horrox, 27 October 2014</ref>

The deaths of Alexander and Lt. Augustin were later cited as mitigating reasons in September 2015 by [[Richard Drax]], UK Member of Parliament (MP) for [[South Dorset]], as part of a motion in the [[House of Commons]] to consider the case of Sergeant Alexander Blackman.<ref>[https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2015-09-16/debates/15091640000001/SgtAlexanderBlackman(MarineA) Sgt Alexander Blackman (Marine A)] [[Hansard]]: Volume 599 - Column 339WH, 16 September 2015</ref> Blackman had mentored Lt. Augustin and also been deployed as part of Operation Herrick 14 where a number of colleagues had received severe injury or been killed including Alexander and Lt. Augustin. He was convicted in 2013 for murder of an injured Afghan combatant, also referred to as the [[2011 Helmand Province incident]]. His conviction was subsequently overturned and reduced to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to the stresses of war.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/15/marine-six-months-led-killing-taliban-insurgent/ Marine A: How six months of 'hell' led to killing of Taliban insurgent] [[The Telegraph]], Hayley Dixon, 28 March 2017</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}



{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Sam}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Sam}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:2011 deaths]]
[[Category:2011 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Hammersmith]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:British military personnel killed in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)]]
[[Category:British military personnel killed in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]]
[[Category:War in Afghanistan (2001–present) casualties]]
[[Category:Royal Marines ranks]]
[[Category:People educated at St Paul's School, London]]

Latest revision as of 10:30, 1 August 2022

Samuel Giles William Alexander MC (16 June 1982 − 27 May 2011[1]) was a Royal Marine whose death by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on a patrol in 2011 during the War in Afghanistan received 3/4 front page as part of cover story questioning the Government's foreign policy by his journalist father in The Independent,[2] which had taken a strong stance against parts of the United Kingdom's involvement in the War on Terror.[3] Alexander's Military Cross awarded on previous tour of duty contributed to extensive national media coverage after the Ministry of Defence announcement[1] of his and his patrol leader's deaths during Operation Herrick in Helmand Province in 2011.[4][5][6][7][8][9] Their deaths were also later included in speech by MP Richard Drax in the House of Commons[10] and extensively referenced by national media as mitigating circumstances in connection with the 2013 conviction of Sgt. Alexander Blackman for murder of an injured Afghan combatant (a.k.a. 2011 Helmand Province incident) and his subsequent reduced sentence in 2017 of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.[11][12][13][14][15][16]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Oliver Richard Augustin and Marine Samuel Giles William Alexander MC killed in Afghanistan GOV.UK: Ministry of Defence, 29 May 2011]
  2. ^ Was my son's death in Afghanistan a price worth paying? Stuart Alexander, The Independent, 30 May 2011
  3. ^ Independent tries direct hit on rival Ciar Byrne, The Guardian, January 2003
  4. ^ Royal Marine killed in Afghanistan was awarded Military Cross for bravery Murray Wardrop, The Telegraph, 29 May 2011
  5. ^ Military Cross winner is one of two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan Chris Hughes, Daily Mirror, 29 May 2011
  6. ^ Marine war hero killed alongside patrol leader in Helmond Channel 4 News, 29 May 2011
  7. ^ Tributes paid to Royal Marines killed in Afghanistan Haroon Siddique, The Guardian, 29 May 2011
  8. ^ War hero and officer die in Taliban blast John Ingham, Daily Express, 30 May 2011
  9. ^ Funeral for Military Cross marine BBC News, 17 June 2011
  10. ^ Sgt Alexander Blackman (Marine A) Hansard, Volume 599: Column 339WH, 16 September 2015
  11. ^ Death of adored leader left marine in mood for murder Tom Coghlan, The Times, 9 November 2013,
  12. ^ Marine who murdered Taliban prisoner loses fight to remain anonymous Steven Morris and Richard Norton-Taylor, The Guardian, 5 December 2013
  13. ^ Royal Marine who murdered insurgent named as Sgt Alexander Wayne Blackman Daily Express, 5 December 2013
  14. ^ Marine A: How six months of 'hell' led to killing of Taliban insurgent Hayley Dixon, The Telegraph, 28 March 2017
  15. ^ Marines on tour from hell had a 1 in 17 chance of death or injury Sean O’Neill, The Times, 15 March 2017
  16. ^ Top brass were warned about ‘out of control’ Marine unit Sean O’Neill, The Times, 16 March 2017
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