7931673, Trooper, Joseph Chestnut McGREISH
Aged 30


believed to be Joseph's medal ribbon
Royal Armoured Corps, 3rd Royal Tank Regiment
Died on Monday 2nd November 1942

Born at 38 Raise Street, Saltcoats, Ayrshire on 24th March 1912, son of James (dynamite worker) and Nellie McGREISH (née CHESTNUT), m. Saltcoats 7th June 1907. He was a pupil at Ardrossan Academy, Scorbie Road, Ardrossan, North Ayrshire.

He married Peggy SLATER in Newmarket in Q1-1942, who married Ray PHOENIX in Newmarket in 1946


The 1939 register covered only England and Wales and it looks like Joseph's family were still in Scotland. Being in the Army he would not have registered even in England.


The 1st/2nd November was the start of Operation Supercharger when Montgomery threw the entire weight of his surviving tanks against the Afrika Corps. Initially casualties were very high, as much as 75% but they pulverised the Germans into retreat. It is believed at the end of this, the 2nd Battle of El Alamein, the Afrika Corps were down to 35 serviceable tanks, and had lost 50,000 dead and wounded against 14,000 of the Allies

Joseph in a studio shot and his initial grave marker at the cemetery at A.I.F./GRU/ WH104 to El Alamein on 24th June 1943





© Commonwealth War Graves Commission


Joseph is buried in El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt Ref- XXIV.H.12
and also commemorated on the Roll of Honour at Ardrossan Academy, Ayrshire


click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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