Corporal Sam Fleming, No 1 Commando, died 19 January 2019, aged 93 years

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 21/01/2019 14:49:11

John Samuel Fleming was my Dad. He told me that he was in No 1 Commando and that so many of his comrades were killed that they were absorbed into another unit later in the war, although they were still able to wear their berets. He fought in Burma against the Japanese and was in Singapore when the Japanese surrendered. I believe that he was a machine gunner. He was a wonderful, totally committed family man and worked for British Rail his whole working life. He boxed for the railway and won many trophies. He came from Birkenhead (Wirral, Merseyside) and was one of 7 brothers who fought in WW2. Dad was very affected by the harshness of the Japanese army and would never consider owning a Japanese car.
Dad succumbed to Alzheimers disease which had relentlessly affected him over the past 8 years. He is survived by his daughter and two sons, and six grandchildren. He has missed seeing his great-granddaughter by 4 days. The British Legion will ensure that his coffin is draped with the Union Jack and that there will be an armed forces presence.

RIP Dad, we are so proud of you.

Gil Fleming

Gil

We thank your Dad Corporal Sam Fleming for our freedom and his service. He will be remembered with honour.

Our thoughts are with you and all the family.

God bless.

Bill

R. I. P.

Kevin

Thank you so much Bill for your kind and heartfelt words.

Dad was one of the fortunate ones that came back. I consider him and his comrades as heroes. Dad had a small silver inverted dagger lapel pin that is now a permanent fixture on my lapel. I appreciate my freedoms and I am grateful to those brave and magnificent men.

Gil Fleming

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 21/01/2019 20:09:03

R.I.P

Hi Gil,
Welcome to the CVA Website & Forum.
Thank you for informing us about your recent bereavement. We are so sorry to hear about your father and his recent illness, the only godsend is that he has, at last, been released from the dreadful suffering both he and his loved ones have had to endure.
You can be assured that you all are in our thoughts and our prayers as is your father of whom you are right to be so proud...

No.1 Commando was out in India & Burma as part of 3 Commando Brigade together with my father's unit, No.5 Commando, and 42 RM Commando and 44 RM Commando.

The great disadvantage that 3 Commando Brigade had that their brothers in NW Europe and Central Mediterranean didn't, was when they suffered any casualties it took a lot longer to send trained commandos out to the Far East as reinforcements.
Of course not only did the guys in the Far East suffer from the hands of their enemy but also from the Jungle and the virulent, noxious diseases they could contract out there.

At the end of hostilities the Brigade moved to Hong Kong to carry out policing duties and the re-repatriation of Japanese PoWs.
As your father told you No.1 & No.5 Cdo had suffered so many casualties that they were amalgamated to for 1/5 Commando.
Despite the amalgamation each unit's esprit de corps was so strong that they did keep their own unit identity to a certain extent...

Sam's name will be entered into our Obituary pages and his name will be read out at the Commando Remembrance Service at the Commando Monument in Spean Bridge, Scotland in November.

Requiescet in Pace Sam Fleming.

Nick