Edward George McGill Alexander SM MMM ORB SAStC (born 31 March 1947) is a former South African Army officer.

During this time, in his civilian capacity, he ran outdoor pursuit courses for the South African Exploration Society.

In 1975 he joined the Permanent Force and was appointed as an Officer Instructor at 1 Parachute Battalion with the rank of lieutenant, again serving as a company second-in-command.

On his return he was promoted to commandant (lieutenant-colonel) and appointed as a member of the Directing Staff at the SA Army College.

Alexander also initiated the use of paratroops in an airborne role during urban counter-insurgency operations in South Africa, participating with 3 Parachute Battalion in a drop into Soweto in 1991.

In 1992 Alexander was instructed to move the brigade from Murrayhill outside Pretoria to Tempe in Bloemfontein and was then appointed as Officer Commanding Group 18 HQ in Johannesburg.

Here he was responsible for keeping the peace between opposing political factions in the township of Alexandra, where what amounted to a civil war was raging between the ANC and the IFP.

He and his family were taken hostage during their last few weeks in this post,[7] and both Alexander and his eldest daughter were shot and wounded during a failed rescue attempt.

Here he was responsible for planning and coordinating control of South Africa's northern borders, preventing the influx of illegal immigrants and undesirable elements.

From then until his retirement two years later Alexander did not have a post, but ran Project CLEOPATRA, which was concerned with the resuscitation of the SANDF's airborne capability.

Alexander and his wife Anne returned to Port Elizabeth where he commenced working on his PhD degree in history which was awarded by the University of South Africa (Unisa) in 2016.

Alexander's interests include writing, military history (he is an active member of the South African Military History Society, Eastern Cape Branch), photography, camping and 4x4 off-road excursions, hiking, travelling and acting as Chief Range Officer for the annual South African Bisley Target Rifle Championships.

He is also a keen Scottish Country Dancing enthusiast when he gets the opportunity and he is involved in maintaining a contact network with his old school friends from Potchefstroom.