THE COVENANTER
friends on Tuesday 30th March, telling me appear when there was a problem that
he had passed away, he was 79 years of age within HQ SOLF he earned the nickname
and died a Widower, his Wife Bette having ‘Zebedee’ after the character on a spring in
passed away some years ago. He had a children’s TV programme.’ [Journal of The
children, but these were all from previous Sultan’s Armed Forces Association, with
marriages. appreciation]. Previously , in South Armagh
Nat Gormlay with the Royal Scots, he had been dubbed
the Sheriff of Bessbrook.
Lieutenant Colonel
Back in civilian life Chris worked with
British Aerospace travelling to many
Christopher J W Browne
unstable parts of the world, such as Angola.
‘He didn’t have time to fall over’, a
Latterly he worked as a Defence Consultant
phrase used by one of his brother officers
assisting a wide variety of clients from
who skied with him, is an apt way to
countries such as China and Iran.
describe the whirlwind that was Chris. True
He was a man of great compassion, who
in early adulthood, it remained so until the
put others before himself in all aspects of
onset of the tumour that struck him down
life. Chris ‘was always looking to see what
at a premature age and still in the prime of
he could do to help others.’ [Ibid] Recently
life. Chris was always full of ideas, of energy
when a former Cameronian officer was
and consumed with enthusiasm for the
detained for a prolonged period in Dubai,
moment. He was completely disregarding of
Chris ceaselessly bombarded the Foreign
anything that could possibly upset his plans
Secretary, Jack Straw, with letters on his
and was possessed of a rare capacity not to
behalf. Christopher John William Browne
be set back by the vicissitudes of life. Had he
was born on 2nd may 1941. To his wife
a motto, it would have been carpe diem.
Carol and his family we extend our deepest
Chris Browne - known in his first.
sympathy for their loss.
regiment, The Cameronians, as ‘Broon with
Mike Sixsmith
an e’, joined the 1st Battalion in Minden on
a short service commission from Mons OTC
Donald Gow
in January 1961. After some time at Redford
In March 2004, Lofty Hammond
Barracks, Edinburgh, he was posted to the
telephoned to tell me that Don had died
Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion in
peacefully in his sleep. His neighbours knew
Oswestry and was there when the 1st
that something was amiss by the barking of
Battalion learnt that it was to be disbanded.
his dog.
He transferred to the Royal Scots, with
Don’s wife, Margaret, had died a few
whom he served in BOAR and Northern
years ago from an unknown virus. This was
Ireland, before secondments with the Royal
a great shock to Don, for she was a fit
Brunei Malay Regiment and the Military
person who had paid attention to her
Advisory Team in Sharjah.
health. Don met Margaret after he returned
He left the Army in 1978 and
from Malaya in 1952 while she was working
subsequently joined The Sultan’s Armed
in the NAFFI in Lanark. After Margaret had
Forces (SAF) in 1982 thus continuing a link
finished her posting to the Middle East,
with His Majesty the Sultan, Qaboos bin
they married in 1954.
Said, with whom he had served in The
Don, a native of Crieff, was one of the
Regiment in Minden; proudly wearing the
fifteen band boys who gradually came
TOS, introduced by the then Sultan after
together to fill the boys’ room in Hamilton
the Regiment’s service in Oman in 1957
in 1946. Don, unlike the rest of us, was
Posted to the Muscat Regiment as Second-
already in the army. He had transferred
in-Command, he had a very successful
from an Army Apprentice School to serve
three years during which he was awarded
with his younger brother Ian. He began to
the Sultan’s Commendation Medal and
learn the tenor saxophone. Having the
promoted to Muqaddam (Lieutenant
longest service and suitable for the role, he
Colonel). He served as MA to the first
became the senior boy. My most vivid
Omani Commander of the Omani Land
memory of him was his ability to blow
Forces (SOLF) and then with Commander
smoke rings.
Admin & Logistics until leaving SAF in early
Don and Ian will be remembered as
1988.
successful members of the depot and
‘Chris was a man of boundless energy...
battalion hockey teams throughout the
Such was the speed with which he would
1950s. Early in his service he left the barrack
70
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