Donald Hamish Cameron of Lochiel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Donald Cameron of Lochiel
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The 26th Lochiel, ca. 1955
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| Born | 12 September 1910 Buchanan Castle, Stirlingshire, Scotland |
| Died | 26 May 2004 (aged 93) Achnacarry, Inverness-shire, Scotland |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1929–1958 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Order of the Thistle Royal Victorian Order Efficiency Decoration |
| Alma mater | Balliol College, Oxford |
| Spouse(s) | Margot Gathorne-Hardy (Lady Cameron of Lochiel) |
| Relations | 7th Duke of Montrose (first cousin) |
Sir Donald Hamish Cameron of Lochiel (born September 12, 1910 – died May 26, 2004) was an important Scottish leader. He was a brave officer in the British Army and also a skilled accountant. He owned a lot of land in the Scottish Highlands. Donald Cameron was the 26th 'Lochiel,' which means he was the chief of Clan Cameron. He led a special army unit called the Lovat Scouts during World War II. Later, he became the chief of his clan after his father passed away in 1951. He also held a special role as the Lord Lieutenant of Inverness.
Contents
Growing Up in Scotland
Donald Cameron was born at Buchanan Castle in Scotland. This castle was the family home of his mother. His father was Sir Donald Walter Cameron, the 25th chief of Clan Cameron.
Donald went to a famous school called Harrow School. When he was 19, he joined the Lovat Scouts as an officer. After that, he went to Balliol College, Oxford University and finished his studies in 1933.
Leading in World War II
When World War II started in 1939, Donald Cameron joined his army unit, the Lovat Scouts. He quickly became a Major.
He worked with Lord Lovat to create a new type of soldier called a Commando. These were special, highly trained soldiers who could carry out difficult missions.
In 1940, a special training center was set up at Achnacarry, which was Donald Cameron's family home. Over 25,000 soldiers from different countries trained there. Many people believe this was the start of modern special forces units.
Fighting in Italy
In 1943, Donald and the Lovat Scouts trained in the Rocky Mountains of Canada. They learned special skills for fighting in mountains and snow.
Then, they were sent to Italy in 1944. They fought after the very tough Battle of Monte Cassino. Donald served bravely throughout the Italian campaign. He was often praised for his actions.
After Germany surrendered, the Lovat Scouts went to Austria. They helped find Nazi soldiers who were trying to hide. Donald was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and then Colonel in 1945. His unit was later disbanded in 1947.
After the Lovat Scouts, Donald joined the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. This was his family's traditional army unit, started in 1793. From 1958, he was an Honorary Colonel for some of their battalions.
Life After the War
After his time in the army, Donald Cameron worked as an accountant in London. He became a qualified chartered accountant.
In 1951, his father passed away, and Donald became the 26th Chief of Clan Cameron. He and his wife moved to Achnacarry Castle, their family home.
Managing the Family Estate
Being a skilled accountant helped Donald manage his family's lands. There were many taxes to pay after his father's death.
He sold some land to help the family's finances. This helped create a good future for the local economy in the Scottish Highlands. Donald was very popular in the Highlands. He was elected as a County Councillor for Inverness County Council and served until 1971.
Donald also held important positions in business. He was Chairman of Scottish Widows (an insurance company) from 1964 to 1967. He was also Vice-chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland from 1969 to 1980. He also worked for the Crown Estates and was President of the Scottish Landowners Federation.
Special Recognition
From 1971 to 1985, Donald was the Lord Lieutenant of Inverness-shire. This is a special role where he represented the King or Queen in the area.
In 1973, he received a very high honor. He was made a Knight of the Thistle (KT). This is one of Scotland's highest awards. After this, his special flag hung in St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh until he passed away in 2004.
His Family
On July 21, 1939, Donald married Margaret Doris Gathorne-Hardy, who was known as Margot. They had four children:
- Margaret Anne Cameron (born 1942)
- Caroline Marion Cameron (1943–2019)
- Donald Angus Cameron of Lochiel (born 1946), who became the next chief.
- John Alastair Nigel Cameron (born 1954)
Awards and Honors
– KT (1973)
– CVO (1970)
– KStJ (1974)
– TD (1944)
– 1939–1945 Star
– Italy Star
– Defence Medal
– War Medal
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