Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Sir Donald Walter Cameron of Lochiel, (4 November 1876 – 11 October 1951) was a Scottish nobleman and soldier of the

Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders or 79th (The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) Regiment of Foot was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1793. It amalgamated with the Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Al ...

who served in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

and the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He was the 25th Lochiel of

Clan Cameron Clan Cameron is a West Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch Lochiel, and numerous cadet branches. The Clan Cameron lands are in Lochaber and within their lands lies Ben Nevis which is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The Chief ...

, succeeding his father, the 24th Lochiel in 1906. Lochiel began his career as an officer during the Second Boer War in Southern Africa and was later based in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. In 1914 he was asked by Field Marshal

Herbert Kitchener Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, (; 24 June 1850 – 5 June 1916) was a senior British Army officer and colonial administrator. Kitchener came to prominence for his imperial campaigns, his scorched earth policy against the Boers, h ...

to raise the

and served as Colonel of the regiment from 1914 to 1916. The casualties his battalions sustained during the war was said to have deeply affected him. After the war he retired to his estates in

Lochaber Lochaber ( ; gd, Loch Abar) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, as they were before being reduced in extent by the creation ...

with interests in sheep farming and land management.

Early life

Lochiel was born in 1876 at

Dalkeith Palace Dalkeith Palace is a country house in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland. It was the seat of the Dukes of Buccleuch from 1642 until 1914, and is owned by the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust. The present palace was built 1701–1711 on the site of the ...

, the eldest son of

Donald Cameron, 24th Lochiel Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the ...

, a diplomat and courtier, and his wife

Lady Margaret Scott Lady Margaret Rachel Scott (5 April 1874 – 27 January 1938) was a dominant player in early women's golf, who won the first three British Ladies Amateurs in 1893, 1894, and 1895. Scott was a daughter of John Scott, 3rd Earl of Eldon, and the fo ...

. His mother was the second daughter of

Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, 7th Duke of Queensberry, (born Walter Francis Montagu-Scott; 25 November 1806 – 16 April 1884), styled Lord Eskdail between 1808 and 1812 and Earl of Dalkeith between 1812 and 18 ...

. Lochiel spent his early years at Dalkeith Palace, Montagu House and

Achnacarry Castle Achnacarry ( gd, Achadh na Cairidh) is a hamlet, private estate, and a castle in the Lochaber region of the Highlands, Scotland. It occupies a strategic position on an isthmus between Loch Lochy to the east, and Loch Arkaig to the west. Achna ...

, seat of Clan Cameron in the Highlands. He had three brothers: Ewan, Allan and Archibald; two of whom would be killed during the First World War. He was educated at

Harrow School (The Faithful Dispensation of the Gifts of God) , established = (Royal Charter) , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent schoolBoarding school , religion = Church of E ...

and attended

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS or RMA Sandhurst), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial officer training centre. It is located in the town of ...

Career

Cameron was commissioned a

Second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the

Grenadier Guards "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it." , colors = , colors_label = , march = Slow: " Scipio" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment ...

on 5 September 1896, and promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

on 8 September 1898. He served in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

1899-1900 during the

, where he was part of the Kimberley relief force, and was wounded at the

Battle of Belmont The Battle of Belmont was fought on November 7, 1861 in Mississippi County, Missouri. It was the first combat test in the American Civil War for Brigadier general (United States), Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the future Union Army general in ch ...

(November 1899). He was in South Africa for the end of the war, and was invalided home in July 1902, when he left

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

on the SS ''Canada'', returning to

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

. Lochiel was back with his regiment the same month. In 1903 he was promoted to

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

. Lochiel was stationed in

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

for several years before returning to Scotland in 1906. In 1914 Lochiel (who was then commanding officer of the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the

) was asked by Field Marshal

Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, (; 24 June 1850 – 5 June 1916) was a senior British Army officer and colonial administrator. Kitchener came to prominence for his imperial campaigns, his scorched earth policy against the Boers, h ...

to raise several battalions of infantry; Lochiel agreed, on condition that he would be

; one of these became the 5th Service Battalion of the regiment, which saw distinguished service on the western front as part

9th (Scottish) Division The 9th (Scottish) Division, was an infantry division of the British Army during the First World War, one of the Kitchener's Army divisions raised from volunteers by Lord Kitchener to serve on the Western Front during the First World War. A ...

. Allan George Cameron, Captain in the

Lovat Scouts The Lovat Scouts was a British Army unit first formed during the Second Boer War as a Scottish Highland yeomanry regiment of the British Army. They were the first known military unit to wear a ghillie suit and in 1916 formally became the British ...

was killed in 1914 and Archibald, serving with Lochiel's Cameron Highlanders was killed in 1917 at

Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...

. The deaths of his younger brothers and the many others serving under his command deeply depressed Lochiel. He was invalided home in 1916 but resumed command of the 3rd Battalion in January 1918, when it was in Ireland. The poet Angus Robertson on the subject of Cameron Highlanders and Lovat Scouts during World War I wrote: Between 1920 and 1936 he was aide-de-camp to

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

. Between 1923 and 1924, Lochiel and Lady Hermione undertook a tour of Canada and the United States. He was knighted in 1934, and from 1939 he held the office of

Lord Lieutenant of Inverness-shire The Lord-lieutenant, Lord-Lieutenant of Inverness-shire, Inverness is the British monarch's personal representative in an area which has been defined since 1975 as consisting of the Local government in Scotland, local government districts of Inverne ...

and Commissioner of the peace until his death in 1951. On 1 February 1941, Lochiel was appointed Commander, Inverness Group of the

Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting wi ...

. Lochiel was a passionate advocate of the Gaelic revival and at various times served as Chief, Gaelic society of Inverness. He was also the first Cameron Chief to organise clan gatherings which took place for the first time in 1938. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

he vacated his residence of Achnacarry to the British military for 25,000 soldiers to undergo elite training between 1942 and 1945. Achnacarry, transformed into the Commando Basic Training Centre was known to the soldiers as "Castle Commando".

Family

In March 1906 he married Lady Hermione Emily Graham, daughter of

Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose Douglas Beresford Malise Ronald Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose KT (7 November 1852 – 10 December 1925), initially styled as the Marquess of Graham, was a Scottish nobleman, racehorse owner, soldier and the 5th Duke of Montrose. He was the son ...

and

Violet Graham, Duchess of Montrose Violet Hermione Graham, Duchess of Montrose GBE (10 September 1854 – 21 November 1940) was a British philanthropist and anti-suffragist. Graham served as president of the Scottish branch of the Women's National Anti-Suffrage League. Her husban ...

; the couple had three sons and two daughters: * Violet Hermione Cameron (6 May 1907 – 24 March 1979), married John Stewart of Ardvorlich and had issue. * Col. Sir

Donald Hamish Cameron of Lochiel Colonel Sir Donald Hamish Cameron of Lochiel, (12 September 1910 – 26 May 2004) was a Scottish soldier, landowner, businessman and the 26th Lochiel of Clan Cameron. He was known simply as Lochiel while clan chief and in the Jacobite peerage ...

(12 September 1910 – 4 May 2004), married Margot Gathorne-Hardy and succeeded as chief. * Marion Hester Cameron (12 October 1914 – 31 May 1997), married Sir Ronald Orr-Ewing, 3rd Baronet and had issue. * Maj. Allan John Cameron (25 March 1917 – 4 December 2011), father of Ewen Cameron, Baron Cameron of Dillington. His daughter married a second cousin, Lord Donald Alasdair Graham, son of the 7th Duke of Montrose. * Lt Col. Charles Alexander Cameron (born 29 September 1920)

Footnotes

References

External links

http://www.lochiel.net/chiefs/XXV.html lochiel.net
* 1876 births 1951 deaths Knights of the Thistle Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Lord-Lieutenants of Inverness-shire Deputy Lieutenants of Inverness-shire Donald Walter Lochiel, Donald Cameron, 8th Lord {{authority control Military personnel of the Second Boer War Grenadier Guards officers Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders officers