Brigadier Alick Drummond Buchanan-Smith, Baron Balerno, (9 October 1898 – 28 July 1984) was a British soldier and prominent geneticist.

Life

He was born in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

, the son of the Very Rev. George Adam Smith and Alice Lillian (née Buchanan), daughter of Sir George Buchanan. The family lived at 22 Sardinia Terrace (now demolished). He was educated at Glasgow Academy and

Glenalmond College Glenalmond College is a co-educational independent boarding school in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, for children aged between 12 and 18 years. It is situated on the River Almond near the village of Methven, about west of the city of Perth. T ...

. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in World War I, 1916–18 with the Gordon Highlanders but was too young for active service. After the war he studied sciences at the

University of Aberdeen The University of Aberdeen (abbreviated ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; ) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was founded in 1495 when William Elphinstone, Bis ...

where he graduated MA BSc. In 1925 he began lecturing at the Institute of Animal Genetics in Edinburgh where he remained for most of his career. He was awarded a DSc from the University there in 1938, on inbreeding in Jersey cattle. In 1928 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

. His proposers were Robert Blyth Greig, John Bartholomew,

D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson Sir D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson CB FRS FRSE (2 May 1860 – 21 June 1948) was a Scottish biologist, mathematician and classics scholar. He was a pioneer of mathematical and theoretical biology, travelled on expeditions to the Bering Strait ...

and Francis Albert Eley Crew. He served as the Royal Society's vice-president twice: 1966/67 and 1977/80. He was awarded the Society's bicentenary medal in 1983. He served in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, 1939–45 with both the 5th and 9th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders on active service in France, and later was Director of the Selection of Personnel, for the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

. He was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(OBE) in 1939, promoted to

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...

(CBE) in 1945 and he retired in 1956 with the rank of Brigadier. In the 1956 Birthday Honours he was awarded a

knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

, having the honour conferred by HM The Queen on 10 July 1956. He had held many positions in military education. He served from 1953 to 1959 as Chairman of the Central Organisation of Military Education Committees of the Universities and University Colleges, what is now the Council of Military Education Committees of the Universities of the United Kingdom (COMEC). Originally an agriculturalist, his genetics research earned him the degree of

Doctor of Science A Doctor of Science (; most commonly abbreviated DSc or ScD) is a science doctorate awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. Africa Algeria and Morocco In Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia, all universities accredited by the s ...

from the

, and he lectured in this subject at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

. He was created a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the D ...

as Baron Balerno, ''of Currie in the County of Midlothian'' on 9 July 1963, having been Deputy Chairman of the Unionist Party in Scotland (1960–1963). From 1966 to 1970 he was Chairman of Heriot-Watt College. In 1976 he was made an Honorary Member of the British Veterinary Association. He is buried with his wife, Mary Kathleen Smith of Pittodrie, and eldest son, Rev George Adam Buchanan-Smith (1929–1983) in the north-east corner of Currie Cemetery, next to their second son, Alick Laidlaw Buchanan-Smith.

Family

His siblings included Janet Adam Smith and Kathleen Buchanan Smith who married George Paget Thomson. In 1926 he married Mary Kathleen Smith. Their children included the politician, Alick Buchanan-Smith and philanthropist, Mary Drummond Corsar (nee Buchanan-Smith). One of his grandsons is George Buchanan-Smith, a former Scotland international rugby union player.

Publications

*Alick Drummond Buchanan Smith; Olive Janet Robinson; D. M. Bryant (1936). ''The Genetics of the Pig'',

Institute of Animal Genetics. Dordrecht: Springer. , 162 pp.

Arms

References

External links

Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balerno, Alick Buchanan-Smith, Baron 1898 births 1984 deaths Military personnel from Glasgow Scientists from Glasgow Nobility from Glasgow People educated at Glenalmond College Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Scottish geneticists Gordon Highlanders officers British Army personnel of World War I Conservative Party (UK) life peers Academics of the University of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Presidents of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Knights Bachelor Deputy lieutenants of Midlothian Scottish justices of the peace British Army brigadiers of World War II War Office personnel in World War II Life peers created by Elizabeth II