Soldier and businessman;
Born: August 3, 1916; Died: March 10, 2012.
John David McGregor, who has died aged 95, was a man who loved sport and an outdoor life, but managed to successfully combine a business career with many years' service in the British Army. During the height of the Second World War, as Allied Forces pushed the axis powers out of Africa, he was awarded a Military Cross for displaying bravery and leadership while in command of B Company 5th Black Watch.
He was born in Stirlingshire and educated at McLaren High School in Callendar before being apprenticed to the Commercial Bank of Scotland. He qualified as a Member of the Institute of Bankers in 1937.
His career in finance, however, was cut short by the outbreak of the Second World War. Aged 23, he joined the London Scottish regiment of the Territorial Army and was commissioned into the Black Watch less than two years later. He served as the 5th Battalion's Intelligence Officer at El Alamein before, as temporary Captain, the then Lieutenant McGregor took command of B Company during General Montgomery's successful attack on the Mareth Line in eastern Tunisia.
Days later, as Allied forces continued to advance towards the Mediterranean, he led B Company in a successful mission against a German position forward of the Mareth Line. Subsequently ordered to make contact with A Company, which had received severe casualties, he personally braved heavy machine-gun and shell fire while crossing a minefield. Despite a growing German counter-attack, he later returned – at great personal risk – to his own company to lead his men.
While, later that night, he was eventually ordered to withdraw, he was subsequently praised for ensuring that neither one man nor a single article of equipment was lost to the enemy. The citation for his MC praised his leadership, bravery and the "magnificent" example he showed to all the men under his command. His award was announced in the London Gazette of June 17, 1943.
Following the successful Allied invasion of Sicily in July/August 1943, he helped train members of 10th Indian Infantry Brigade, then returned to the UK where he rejoined the 5th Battalion in the run-up to the all-important Normandy landings in June 1944. As such, he was one of the first members of his battalion to return to France since the end of the First World War. Evacuated home after being wounded in action, he was subsequently appointed second-in-command of the 10th Battalion Black Watch during his recuperation.
The end of the war, and his prompt demobilisation in 1945, was marred by the death of his first wife, Mary, while giving birth to a baby boy. After some time working as Scottish sales manager for Bradford-based Jowett Cars, he later moved back to London. He rejoined the London Scottish regiment in 1951, which he commanded until he retired, as Lieutenant Colonel, in1961.
While he officially retired from his civilian business career in 1980, he remained busy and was particularly supportive of his regiment. He authored a well-received history of the 5th Battalion, The Spirit of Angus, which was published in 1988.
As well as being a member of the 51st Highland Division Officers' Club, he also served as president of the Angus branch of the Black Watch Association for many years.
Lt Col McGregor was predeceased by his second wife Anne, who died in 1992. He is survived by his third wife, Ishbel, and his two children by Anne.
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