Donald Callander
Encyclopedia
Major Donald Fraser Callander OBE MC & Bar
(22 July 1918 - 5 April 1992) was one of the last serving officers to lead his men into battle wearing the kilt
in Cheshire and educated at Clifton College
in Bristol. This was followed by the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst
before he was commissioned into the 1st Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
in January 1939 under the C.O. Lt. Col Douglas Wimberley
.
(BEF). He received his first Military Cross
as an “immediate award for courage and leadership” at La Bassée
where, as commander of the battalion's anti-tank platoon, equipped only with three Hotchkiss guns Ordnance QF 2 pounder
s, they knocked out 21 German tanks from Rommel's
7th Panzer Division, while protecting the retreat of the allies to the beaches during the Battle of Dunkirk
.. He was evacuated with his platoon wearing their kilts on 1 June 1940. This battle was the last time a Highland Battalion fought in the kilt.
He was subsequently sent in 1942 to serve with No. 1 Commando
on special duties with OC A Company in India. As well as training for jungle warfare against the Japanese he was in-charge of the Company guarding Nehru
at Ahmednagar Fort. In August 1944 he joined the 51st Highland Division under C.O Lt.Col. Derek Lang
in Possy area for the break-out from the Normandy bridgehead. In command of B Company he won his second Military Cross in the Battle of the Reichswald, Feb ’45 as " the first to reach the enemy position with a handful of men". He also took part in the capture of Le Harve
and the Rhine Crossing
before leaving Germany in April 1945
In May 1945 he joined the army Staff College in Quetta
India as GSO 2 at the Tactical School, where he served until 1947 when became Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General (DAQMG) at the War Office
in London. He returned to regimen¬tal duty in February 1950 as an instructor at the Highland Brigade Training Centre, becoming the Adjutant of HQ The Highland Brigade in 1951. He was Brigade Major of 152nd Highland Brigade in Inverness from 1952-55 serving at Fort George before he joined the Commonwealth Division
on the 38th Paralle
l in Korea
. This was followed by "jungle bashing" in Malaya during the Emergency
until the Suez Crisis
in 1956, when he was flown to Aden
and saw action against dissident tribesmen in the Aden Protectorate and Yemen.
In 1959 he became Deputy Assistant Adjutant General
(DAAG) at HQ Scottish Command, and his final appointment was as GSO II (General Staff Officer) at the War Office. He resigned and took early retirement from the army in April 1963 following the earlier amalgamation of 1st Battalion
, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
and 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
, which in turn followed on from the 1957 defence review
.
for his long and successful work in this field. In 1967 he became a member of the Sovereign's Bodyguard
for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers
. He was a keen shot and ran a shoot in the Scottish Borders with General Sir Philip Christison
. He was also a member of the The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.
During his first posting in India met Margaret, daughter of Andrew Geddis
, who herself went on to serve in Burma and Japan with the Women's Auxiliary Service (Burma)
, known as the WASBs. They were ultimately married in London 1948 and had two sons, Andrew and Robin.
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
(22 July 1918 - 5 April 1992) was one of the last serving officers to lead his men into battle wearing the kilt
Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
Early life and career
He was born in WallaseyWallasey
Wallasey is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England, on the mouth of the River Mersey, at the northeastern corner of the Wirral Peninsula...
in Cheshire and educated at Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
in Bristol. This was followed by the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
before he was commissioned into the 1st Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
in January 1939 under the C.O. Lt. Col Douglas Wimberley
Douglas Wimberley
Major-General Douglas Neil Wimberley CB, DSO, MC was commander of the 51st Division at the Second Battle of El Alamein in World War II and lead it across North Africa to Sicily....
.
Military career
He was sent to France on 23 September 1939 as part of the British Expeditionary ForceBritish Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
(BEF). He received his first Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
as an “immediate award for courage and leadership” at La Bassée
La Bassée
La Bassée is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-History:La Bassée was the birthplace of the painter and draftsman Louis-Léopold Boilly .-References:*...
where, as commander of the battalion's anti-tank platoon, equipped only with three Hotchkiss guns Ordnance QF 2 pounder
Ordnance QF 2 pounder
The Ordnance QF 2-pounder was a British anti-tank and vehicle-mounted gun, employed in the Second World War. It was actively used in the Battle of France, and during the North Africa campaign...
s, they knocked out 21 German tanks from Rommel's
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
7th Panzer Division, while protecting the retreat of the allies to the beaches during the Battle of Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
.. He was evacuated with his platoon wearing their kilts on 1 June 1940. This battle was the last time a Highland Battalion fought in the kilt.
He was subsequently sent in 1942 to serve with No. 1 Commando
No. 1 Commando
The No. 1 Commando was a unit of British Commandos and part of the British Army during the Second World War. It was raised in 1940 from the ranks of the existing independent companies. Operationally they carried out a series of small scale cross channel raids and spearheaded the Operation Torch...
on special duties with OC A Company in India. As well as training for jungle warfare against the Japanese he was in-charge of the Company guarding Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
at Ahmednagar Fort. In August 1944 he joined the 51st Highland Division under C.O Lt.Col. Derek Lang
Derek Lang
Lieutenant General Sir Derek Boileau Lang KCB DSO MC was a British Army General who commanded the Army in Scotland.-Military career:...
in Possy area for the break-out from the Normandy bridgehead. In command of B Company he won his second Military Cross in the Battle of the Reichswald, Feb ’45 as " the first to reach the enemy position with a handful of men". He also took part in the capture of Le Harve
Operation Astonia
Operation Astonia was a World War II battle fought from 10 September 1944 to 12 September 1944.The Allied objective of the operation was the capture of the German-held Channel port of Le Havre,France,coveted by the Allies to improve their supply system.The Allies hoped to find the port intact and...
and the Rhine Crossing
Operation Plunder
Commencing on the night of 23 March 1945 during World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson...
before leaving Germany in April 1945
In May 1945 he joined the army Staff College in Quetta
Command and Staff College
The Command and Staff College was established in 1907 at Quetta, Balochistan, British Raj, now in Pakistan, and is the oldest and the most prestigious institution of the Pakistan Army. It was established in 1905 in Deolali and moved to its present location at Quetta in 1907 under the name of Quetta...
India as GSO 2 at the Tactical School, where he served until 1947 when became Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General (DAQMG) at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in London. He returned to regimen¬tal duty in February 1950 as an instructor at the Highland Brigade Training Centre, becoming the Adjutant of HQ The Highland Brigade in 1951. He was Brigade Major of 152nd Highland Brigade in Inverness from 1952-55 serving at Fort George before he joined the Commonwealth Division
1st Commonwealth Division
The 1st Commonwealth Division was the name given, after July 1951, to Commonwealth land forces in the Korean War. The division was a multinational unit that was part of British Commonwealth Forces Korea, and whilst British and Canadian Army units formed the bulk of the division, Australian...
on the 38th Paralle
38th parallel north
The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean...
l in Korea
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. This was followed by "jungle bashing" in Malaya during the Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
until the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
in 1956, when he was flown to Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
and saw action against dissident tribesmen in the Aden Protectorate and Yemen.
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
(DAAG) at HQ Scottish Command, and his final appointment was as GSO II (General Staff Officer) at the War Office. He resigned and took early retirement from the army in April 1963 following the earlier amalgamation of 1st Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
and 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
Seaforth Highlanders
The Seaforth Highlanders was a historic regiment of the British Army associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The Seaforth Highlanders have varied in size from two battalions to seventeen battalions during the Great War...
, which in turn followed on from the 1957 defence review
1957 Defence White Paper
The 1957 White Paper on Defence was a British white paper setting forth the perceived future of the British military. It had profound effects on all aspects of the defence industry but probably the most affected was the British aircraft industry...
.
Subsequent Career and Family
After retiring from the army he became Public Relations and Appeals Director of The Scottish Institution for War Blinded and in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 1985, he was awarded the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his long and successful work in this field. In 1967 he became a member of the Sovereign's Bodyguard
Sovereign's Bodyguard
Sovereign's Bodyguard is the name given to three ceremonial units in the United Kingdom who are tasked with guarding the Sovereign. These units are:*Her Majesty's Bodyguard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms - formed 1509...
for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers
Royal Company of Archers
The Royal Company of Archers is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed since 1822 and the reign of King George IV, when the company provided a personal bodyguard to the King on his visit to Scotland. It is currently known as the Queen's...
. He was a keen shot and ran a shoot in the Scottish Borders with General Sir Philip Christison
Philip Christison
General Sir Philip Christison, 4th Baronet GBE CB DSO MC was a British military commander of the Second World War.-Early life and career:...
. He was also a member of the The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.
During his first posting in India met Margaret, daughter of Andrew Geddis
Andrew Geddis
Andrew Geddis was a leading business man and sports enthusiast in Bombay in the decades leading up to independence....
, who herself went on to serve in Burma and Japan with the Women's Auxiliary Service (Burma)
Women's Auxiliary Service (Burma)
The Women’s Auxiliary Service was formed on January 16, 1942 and disbanded in 1946. The WASs were a group of British and Australian women who manned Mobile Canteens for the troops of Burma Command in World War II...
, known as the WASBs. They were ultimately married in London 1948 and had two sons, Andrew and Robin.