Alastair John Fleming

Alastair enlisted with the Scots Guards in Perth on 6^th August 1934 and served with 1^st Battalion in Egypt until being transferred to the Army Reserve in 1938. He was called up for service again in 1939 at the outbreak of the Second World War. After a period in the holding battalion he was transferred to “S” Squadron, 3^rd Tank Battalion, gaining the rank of Sergeant in 1943. Alastair trained as a driver mechanic and would have been the main driver in his Churchill tank. Unfortunately there are no records confirming which tank he drove but his son recalls him mentioning the name “Iona” which was a tank in no.7 Troop.

The above photograph shows Alastair (left) with friends unknown, all members of the 6^th Guards Tank Brigade.

He remained in the Scots Guards, post war, transferring to 2^nd Battalion where he subsequently served in Malaya during the Communist uprising. He was present at the Coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth in 1953 and was finally discharged in 1958.