My father, John Alexander, who has died aged 91, was a history teacher who in retirement became active as a rambler and was known by friends in the Ramblers’ Association as “Access Alexander”. He was also a lifelong socialist.
He was born in Romford, Essex, third of six children of Henry, a print worker, and his wife, Winifred (nee Jones). John was brought up in south London and, with a scholarship, went to Sir Walter St John’s grammar school, Battersea. He worked briefly for the Sun Life insurance company, then in 1942 was conscripted into the Royal Signals, serving in Europe and India. He told the story of how during the Nazi retreat his unit tapped into German telephone lines and made contact with the enemy high command, who informed them that British troops would face a “sanitation problem” at Belsen.
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