Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh and Mons

[Guest sspringer]

Hello Everyone

I was wondering if anyone could shed further light on an event I had not heard of. A letter from Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh is in my possession(Daughter to Duke Alfred and not to be confused with Edward VII's Queen consort). In this letter she refers to events in 1914 thus "...I can certainly tell you how awful the retreat from Mons ...was. My brigade fought in all the rear guard actions of the 2nd Div & we did some fine work in spite of heavy casualties. I had some wonderful escapes & was given out as missing for nearly a week. I and about 50 men got cut off & we had to disguise ourselves for five days & nights under the most unholy shell fire. I did not know when my battalion was & we could not get our artillery up. Absolutely bloody I can tell you...I am so thankful that I was able to be with my mother at the time my poor brother Maurice was killed...so many have been killed . Only about 50 remain in my Battln of those who fought at Mons...". Her 'brother Maurice' is her first cousin HH Prince Maurice of Battenberg, the only member of the roal family to have been killed in the Great War. Does anyone have any knowledge of any reference to Princess Alexandra being posted missing or of a member of the royal family being so close to capture or worse?

Kind regards

S.Springer

Lest We Forget

Maurice Springer Rifleman A/204188 13th Bn.KRRC

KIA November 4th 1918