Garfield Grieve* No 3 Commando KIA Termoli 5 October 1943

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 13/01/2013 16:06:16

Email from John McLeod:

I was never in the army, but I knew Garfield Grieve well - very well, because we shared the same double desk in Standard 5 at St Aidans C.E. Elementary School in Mill Hill, Blackburn.

I was an overweight ten - or maybe eleven year old, my mother was a seamstress and dressmaker whose father bought her a small draper's shop, so was busy with funeral orders in 1917-8. Garfield lived in Goit Street, the nearest we had in Mill Hill to a slum.

I tended to get bullied, and Garfield =was my 'Keeper'. I went on to Grammar Sschool, but Garfield didn't. I lost touch with him, but heard that he was in the landing force in Normandy on D-Day.

It was only when I was checking out just how good Google is, that I decided to put in a search for Garfield Grieves. Within minutes, I found his record, buried - and so presumably killed - in Italy.

The news didn't surprise me. He didn't exactly save my life, but certainly fielded off a couple of elementary school bullies.

He was a great guy.

John McLeod, SO.M., Ph.D., etc. (Aged 87).

In Memory of 3972169 Trooper Garfield Grieve
Welch Regiment and No.3 Commando
who died on the 5th October 1943 aged 21
Remembered with honour at Sangro River War Cemetery

Thank you to Dr John Mcleod for that touching story - I'm sure that Vincent Grieve, Garfield's great nephew will be grateful.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/1548.page

When Shall Their Glory Fade...

Nick

Hi.

I am the great niece to Garfield Grieve, granddaughter of his brother Gordon. I am researching my family tree and came across this.....thank you so much for sharing it made my day :)

p.s. he has a nephew and great nephew named after him!

Dawn Grieve

Hello Dawn

I am so glad you found this information. If you or any member of the Family has a photo of Private Garfield Grieve please consider scanning it and adding it to this forum message. Any issues in doing so please just email me below.

I have some old pictures but I think they are of his brother Gordon, my Grandad. I have just discovered that my Grandmother Mary Grieve is still alive and I am planning on contacting her for a visit and I am hoping she will have some pictures of my Great Uncle Garfield. As soon as I do I will be sure to post 😊

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 01/01/2019 19:27:26

as promised I managed to get some pics of my Great Uncle Garfield.

Kind Regards

Dawn Devine

Thank you Dawn. I have updated our archive entry for Private Grieve which can be viewed here :

http://www.commandoveterans.org/GarfieldGrieve3Commando

and will add them to the No. 3 Commando gallery as well.