Lieutenant Alexander Norman Grieve MUNRO (1940)

1st Lothians and Border Horse, Royal Armoured Corps
Born 26 May 1923
Killed in action 17 August 1944, aged 21
Buried at Banneville-La-Campagne War Cemetery, France.

Alexander ‘Sandy’ Munro was the son of William Angus Munro and of Margaret Bruce, née Grieve, of Edinburgh.

He was educated at Daniel Stewart’s College, Edinburgh, where he was noted as a 'serious Classics scholar' and was a powerful and enthusiastic rugby player. A quiet but effective speaker, he was an active member of the Literary Society, a debating club concerned with artistic and social matters. He was also an enthusiastic participant in the school's timber camps in the early years of the war - the boys voluntarily gave up their holidays to fell and prepare timber, and he was noted for uncommon skill in handling both a saw and axe. He was known for his keen sense of humour, his personal charm and wit; he often returned to the school to help out with debating where he was able.

Gazetted in 1943, he first served with the 1st Lothians and Border Yeomanry (variously known in Edinburgh as the 'Loathsome and Bothersome Horse' and the 'Princes Street Lancers'!).

On 5 August 1944 he joined the strength of the 2nd Fife & Forfar Yeomanry, 11th Armoured Division, who had suffered severe losses during the D-Day operations.

He was killed when his tank was hit whilst crossing a tributary of the Orne River near the village of Flers, La Carneille, Normandy, France, on 17 August 1944.