QO Hldr

Major Kim Torp-Petersen died in tragic circumstances on 5 January 2021 in Edinburgh.  Born on 15 November 1953, his father Knud had left Denmark during the Nazi occupation and met his wife Joy in London.  He was educated at Hinchley Wood School near Hampton Court and by virtue of his family connection to the Seaforth Highlanders, his childhood ambition to be a Queen’s Own Highlander was realised when he was commissioned in March 1974, and he joined the 1^st Battalion in Osnabruck.

He was a platoon commander with D Company and in 1979 was part of the South Armagh tour based in Crossmaglen.  Kim was mentioned in dispatches for his distinguished service there, as he had maintained his platoon in an ambush position for an extended period after the Narrow Water bombings.  Later as mortar platoon commander and then 2IC of B Company in Hong Kong, Kim was integral to the resurrection of rugby in the Battalion and captained the team.  With characteristic courage, he managed to limit the loss in a match against a New Zealand Army team with capped All Blacks!

After being an instructor on the NCO’s Tactical Wing at the School of Infantry, Kim’s love of the Regiment and being with Jocks was rewarded with a number of returns to the Battalion.  He commanded S Company (1986- 1989) at Fort George, Kenya and Belize before returning in 1991 from 52 Lowland Brigade as OC HQ Company and then Battalion 2IC until 1993.  Through these postings he maintained contact with soldiers and with the Lowland Volunteers (1996-2000) and as a company commander at the Scottish Infantry Depot, Glencorse.

Kim retired from the Army in March 2005 and then worked as a Staff Officer with HQ 2 Division at Craigiehall before undertaking the role in 2008 of Regional Deputy Commander for Scotland and Northern Ireland for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation with responsibility for the Defence Training Estate (Scotland and Northern Ireland).  This was the most geographically diverse and largest area of any region in the UK and this challenging role was handled with his usual excellence and good humour.

Kim’s love of his work with soldiers was only eclipsed by his love of family.  He married Jennifer (Jen) in 1982 and was dedicated to their daughters Charlotte and Anna, his sons-in-law Tom and Mike, and his grandchildren Amelia and Lewis with the expected imminent arrival of a third grandchild.

QO Hldr

George was born on 7 June 1956 and died on the 6 January 2021 aged 64 years.  George joined the QO HLDRS in 1972 as a Junior Soldier at Bridge of Don before moving to the Battalion in Osnabruck in the summer of 73 joining 7 Pl B Company serving in Osnabruck, N Ireland, and Canada.   A lively individual and a good soldier George moved to the Recce Platoon and Command Company in early 1975.   He stayed with the Recce on return to UK and Kirknewton followed by a successful 6 months in Belize.  George left the Army in 1977.

He worked at the Pulp Mill at Corpach for a period before taking a job as Storeman at the Underwater Centre Fort William.  He married Karen in 1992 and was stepdad to Robert and Tina and Dad to Tricia and William.  George and Karen separated in 2006

QO Hldr

Donald was born 9 December 1963 and died on 8 January 2021.  He served in the Queen’s Own Highlanders. 

RAF, Cameron & QO Hldr
John Jack served with the RAF Regiment before joining the Cameron Highlanders and then on to the Queen’s Own Highlanders on amalgamation of the Seaforth Highlanders and the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.

Originally from Avoch on the Black Isle John spent a large part of his adult life serving his country with pride.

During John’s service he worked his way through the ranks in the Cameron Highlanders and
reached the rank of WO2 with the Queen’s Own Highlanders. He was known as an excellent sportsman and a crack shot on the ranges as well as being a shooting coach.

John’s last job in uniform was at Edinburgh University OTC on the Long Service List. He then moved on to the Lorretto School in Musselburgh. At both these establishments he was the Rifle Team Coach. They both won the UK Championships under his guidance.

John was awarded the BEM for his long service as a Military Instructor.

On retirement John moved to Seton Sands Caravan Park in Port Seton before finally moving to the Wirral to be with his daughter Jennifer and Granddaughter Susan.

John was taken into hospital with a chest infection and unfortunately contracted COVID-19 whilst in hospital and sadly passed away on Sunday 24 January 2021 aged 98.

QO Hldr

George died on 20 January 2021.  From Forres, George passed out of the Training Depot, Fort George with other members of Kandahar Platoon on Saturday 9 June 1962.  He joined the Battalion and his elder brother Gordon, in Singapore, as a member of 7 Pl B Company.  George was promoted to Sgt in 1973 serving with 21 Cadet Training Team, the Recce Platoon and as Recruiting Sgt at Batchen Street, Elgin from 1977-79. 

After leaving the Army he worked for Scottish Hydro and he became a member of 2622 Highland Sqn RAF reaching the rank of Warrant Officer.  Under Covid restrictions his funeral took place in Elgin 28 January 2021.  George is survived by wife Moreen daughters Sylvia and Donna and son George

Seaforth

James Piers (always known in the UK as Piers) Mackenzie-Mair was born on 21 September 1938 and died on 9 March 2021 at his home in Canada aged 82. 

He did his National Service straight from school in the Seaforth Highlanders (the regiment in which his father served during the war). 

Seaforth

Donald Smith was born on 3 October 1920 in Glasgow and shortly afterwards, moved with his family to Leeds.  He died on 14 March 2021.

Having served 2 years in the Royal Artillery TA from 1937-39, he enlisted into the Seaforth Highlanders on 30 January 1939.  He completed his training at Fort George before being posted to 2^nd Seaforth who were stationed in Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow.

When war broke out in 1939, the 2^nd Seaforth mobilised and moved to France with the British Expeditionary Force.  In March 1940, 2^nd Seaforth became part of the now strengthened 51^st Highland Division.  On 12 June 1940 2^nd Seaforth, after a determined resistance, were forced to surrender. 

Donald was eventually captured by German troops and would spend the remainder of the war in a Prisoner of War camp.  He also took part in the “Death March” when his captors fled the advancing allied armies.

Eventually returned home and was discharged on 2 April 1946.

On 27 July 1957 Donald married his fiancé Helen and would go on to have three children, two grandchildren and three great grandchildren.  They would eventually reside in Forres.

Donald worked as an Engineer and later worked for the car dealership of Macrae and Dick as a handyman before retiring in 1985.

Seaforth, QO Hldr

 James was born on 22 July 1931 and died on 25 March 2021 aged 89 years.

He was commissioned on 6 March 1951 initially as a National Service Officer with the 1^st Seaforth Highlanders and served at Fort George (Highland Bde Training Depot), Edinburgh, and then Buxtehude in BAOR until May 1954.  James was part of the Regimental Coronation Contingent in London in May 1953.

1 Seaforth moved from BAOR to Elgin (Moray) and were then tasked on an emergency tour to Port Said, Egypt from July to December 1954 as part of MELF.  On return James served as a Training Subaltern at the Seaforth Depot, Fort George.

In October 1956 he was posted back to 1 Seaforth and would serve in Gibraltar until August 1957 and then Munster (BAOR) until March 1959.  He was then posted to 1 A&SH for 8 months to serve in Cyprus as part of MELF before returning to the Battalion in Munster until February 1961.

He was seconded to 3^rd Battalion Kings African Rifles in Kenya for 2 years returning to the newly formed Queen’s Own Highlanders stationed in Singapore.  In 1964 he moved with the Queen’s Own Highlanders to Osnabruck (BAOR) where he served as a Captain until 1967 and a posting back to Singapore until 1969 as part of the Far East Training Centre FARELF, before retiring on 15 June 1969.

QO Hldr

Eddie as he was more commonly known was born on 15 January 1956 and died on 6 November 2020 aged 64 years.

Eddie joined the Junior Infantrymen’s Battalion at Shorncliffe in April 1971.  He moved to the Bn in 1973.  Initially, he was underage for service in Northern Ireland with the Bn.  On reaching the age of 18 he joined 3 Platoon Alpha Company in Belfast.  Eddie did not stay long in A Company, moving to the Assault Pioneer Platoon and Support Company 1974.  Next stop was the MT Platoon where he filled several important roles until his discharge in 1993.  He joined 51^st HIGHLAND for a short period before moving with his family to the Philippines.  He is survived by wife Rosita.

Seaforth

 Alexander was born on 15 July 1928 and died on 17 April 2021 aged 92 years. 

He served in the Seaforth Highlanders as Band Sgt from 1944 – 1958.  He was a member of the Seaforth Highlanders Regimental Association.

Cameron, QO Hldr

Graham was born in Eton on the 15 August 1941 and passed away on the 24 April 2021 aged 79 years.

His family moved to Lesmahagow in Scotland and Graham joined the Cameron Highlanders in 1959.  He was a trained draughtsman and is remembered for his time in the Intelligence Section where he reached the rank of Sergeant. His draughtsman skills being responsible for many recruiting posters and the displays in the recruiting caravan.  His service saw tours Brunei, Singapore, Germany, Norway and in Northern Ireland on multiple occasions.  He married Caroline in 1965 and daughter Dawn and son Graeme joined the family. 

Graham left the Army in 1976 and settled in Peebles working as a self-employed joiner.  Graham and Caroline went their separate ways and he subsequently met Mary and moved to Skye.  They married in 2011.  Sadly, Mary passed away in early 2013 and Graham moved back to Kinghorn in Fife.  Graham was laid to rest beside Mary at Broadford Cemetery in Skye on the Wednesday the 5 May 2021.  The Highland Branch Standard was carried, an Association Piper played, and Regimental colleagues joined family members to bid farewell. 

QO Hldr

Iain was born on 26 July 1966 in Stornoway Isle of Lewis and died on 1 May 2021. 

As a youngster his family moved to Edinburgh before returning north to Caol.  He joined the army and passed out of the Scottish Infantry Depot Glencorse as a member of Mysore Platoon on 20 July 1984, 6 days short of his 18^th birthday.  After a time in a Delta Company Iain joined the Mortar Platoon.  Iain Married Ann Marie in Fort George in 1987.  Daughter Donna was born in Munster and sadly complications meant that Iain had to leave the Army on compassionate grounds to ensure she received the required specialist care.  A highly respected and well-liked soldier, Iain was an exemplary colleague to all he served with.  Initially living in the Edinburgh area where son Mathew and daughter Rachel joined the family.  The family settled back in Fort William and Iain secured a job on the Corran ferry.  

At his funeral in Inverness, on Wednesday 12 May 2021 members of the Queen’s Own Highlanders lined the entrance to the Crematorium

Cameron, QO Hldr

Peter was born in Port Seaton in 1941, and after leaving school he spent some time working on the fishing boats sailing out from Port Seaton.  When he was old enough, he joined the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders in 1958, subsequently becoming a Queen’s Own Highlander on amalgamation.

He served in Singapore and Borneo before returning with the Battalion to Edinburgh from where he was demobbed after his six-year stint.

In later life Peter suffered from COPD and Diabetes, the latter causing him problems with his circulation and eventually leading to him having to have a leg amputated.

 Peter passed away peacefully on 30 May 2021 with his wife by his side and was laid to rest on 16 June 2021.  Members of the Edinburgh Branch of the Regimental Association lined the route to his final resting place.

Cameron, QO Hldr

 Andrew was born on 29 December 1929 and died on 22 June 2021 aged 91 years.

 Andrew was commissioned from RMA Sandhurst Intake IV on 16 December 1949 and went on to join C Company 1 Camerons as a Platoon Commander in Tripoli in April 1950.  He was Int Officer 1 Camerons in the Canal Zone and Austria from September 1951 to September 1953 before becoming ADC to GOC, Commonwealth Division in Korea until December 1954.

As MTO he served with 1 Camerons in Korea and the Aden Protectorate until August 1957 and then as Adjutant in Dover until August 1959.

Having completed Staff College, Andrew was Brigade Major at HQ 152 Highland Brigade in Inverness from January 1962 to January 1964 and then a 6-month spell as Training Major 1 Liverpool Scottish in Liverpool.

Andrew re-joined the recently formed 1 Queen’s Own Highlanders in July 1964 as D Company Commander in Osnabruck.  He then completed a 2-year tour as a Company Commander at the RMA Sandhurst August 1965 – August 1967. 

Andrew was then posted to HQ 99 Infantry Brigade in Singapore as Brigade Major until April 1969 before returning to 1 Queen’s Own Highlanders as Commanding Officer in Sharjah, Edinburgh, Osnabruck and Belfast until February 1972.

Two Staff appointments as GSO 1, (Int) HQ BAOR, (Rheindahlen) and GSO 1, MOD (DAT) in London followed until June 1977 when he was promoted to Colonel.

Andrew was posted to Tel Aviv as Defence Attaché until July 1980 and then to the MOD in London as AD of DP(C), ACDS (Pol) before retiring on 29 June 1982 after a 35-year career.

Seaforth, QO Hldrs

John died in Inverness on the 4 July 2021 aged 80 years.  He was born on the 24 November 1940.  John joined the Seaforth Highlanders in August 1959.  Initial service saw him in the Pipes and Drums where his reputation as a first-class Highland Dancer saw a beginning.  This continued throughout his Army career and he was regularly called upon to perform for high ranking visitors and at special events.  After ten years in the Pipes and Drums John re-joined a rifle company and then progressed through the ranks whilst serving in the Mortar Platoon, as a Permanent Staff Instructor with the Liverpool Scottish and as an instructor with the Northern Ireland Training Advisory Team in Hythe.  He finished his service in 1984 as the Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant of the 1^st Battalion in Aldergrove.

A very large contingent of Queen’s Own Highlanders lined the route at the Inverness Crematorium on the 14 July 2021 to say their final farewells.  A man always smartly turned out and very highly regarded by all who served with him.  John was predeceased by his wife Betty and is survived by daughter Lucinda and son Iain.  A rightly proud QO HLDRS Family.

QO Hldr
Bill, (21 or Badger- his Army names) MacDonald passed away at Roxburghe House Aberdeen on 16 July 2021 aged 72 years.
Bill was born in Melvich in Sutherland on 19 July 1948. He joined the Army and the Queen’s Own Highlanders as a Junior Leader at the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion, Oswestry, Shropshire in May 1964 before joining the QO HLDRS in Berlin in June 1966. Although remembered for his days in the Signal Platoon Bill was multi-talented and equally at home in a Rifle Company or as an instructor with other establishments. He served in Berlin, Sharjah, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Belize, Hong Kong, and Brunei. In addition, Bill completed seven tours in Northern Ireland. Bill left the Regular Army in January 1989 reaching the rank of WO2. His service continued with 2/51 HIGHLAND (V) where he was commissioned and ended his fine career as Officer Commanding HQ Company. Former colleagues representing the QO HLDRS and 2/51 HIGHLAND (V) gathered at Ellon Parish Church on 29 July 2021 with family and friends to say a final farewell. He is survived by second wife Maureen.

Graham T, Dunnett

Seaforth

Graham was born on 8 March 1929 and died on 23 August 2021 aged 92 years.

He was educated at Wick High School and Archbishops Holgate’s Grammar School in York.

Graham was commissioned into the Seaforth Highlanders on 18 March 1950 and as a National Service Commission was posted to 1 Seaforth serving with them as a Platoon Commander during the 1948-51 Malaya Emergency. On competition of his National Service he immediately joined 11 Seaforth (1952) where he rose through the ranks to command B Company and on the reorganisation of the TA, 51 Highland Volunteers. He was one of the longest serving Company Commander and his Company always found success at Bisley at the annual TA National Shooting Competition. Graham attended 19 out of 20 Annual Camps between 1952 and 1971 when he went onto the TA Retired Officers List.

Graham was a man of and for the people of Caithness and became a DL in 1975, a Vice Lieutenant in 1986 and then Lord Lieutenant in 1995. He was also to become a JP for Caithness in 1996 where his wisdom and experience was much sought after.

 He was a Member and former President of the Cabar Feidh Dinner Club and attended every Dinner without fail. CFGB.

Thomas Brooks

 Cameron, QO Hldr

 Thomas (Tam) who served in the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders and Queen’s Own Highlanders passed away in 2021.

James, McLachlan

Seaforth

James was born on 21 July 1927 and died in August 2021 in a rest home in New Zealand aged 94 years. 

 He served in the Seaforth Highlanders in the late 1940’s and 1950’s including in Malaya during the conflict, before leaving the British Army in the mid 1950’s as a Sergeant.