Donald Walter Cameron of Lochiel

The Master of Lochiel, ca. 1899

Lochiel was born in 1876 at Dalkeith Palace, the eldest son of Donald Cameron, 24th Lochiel, a diplomat and courtier, and his wife Lady Margaret Scott. His mother was the second daughter of Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, Chief of Clan Scott. Lochiel spent his early years at Dalkeith Palace, Montagu House and Achnacarry Castle, 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 and attended Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Cameron was commissioned a Second lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards on 5 September 1896, and promoted to lieutenant on 8 September 1898. He served in South Africa 1899-1900 during the Second Boer War, where he was part of the Kimberley relief force, and was wounded at the Battle of Belmont (November 1899).[3] He was in South Africa for the end of the war, and was invalided home in July 1902, when he left Cape Town on the SS Canada, returning to Southampton.[4] Lochiel was back with his regiment the same month.[5] In 1903 he was promoted to Captain. Lochiel was stationed in British India for several years before returning to Scotland in 1906.[4][1]

In 1914 Lochiel (who was then commanding officer of the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) was asked by Field Marshal Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener to raise several battalions of infantry; Lochiel agreed, on condition that he would be Colonel; one of these became the 5th Service Battalion of the regiment, which saw distinguished service on the western front as part 9th (Scottish) Division. Allan George Cameron, Captain in the Lovat Scouts was killed in 1914 and Archibald, serving with Lochiel's Cameron Highlanders was killed in 1917 at Arras. The deaths of his younger brothers and the many others serving under his command deeply depressed Lochiel.[1] He was invalided home in 1916 but resumed command of the 3rd Battalion in January 1918, when it was in Ireland.[6] The poet Angus Robertson on the subject of Cameron Highlanders and Lovat Scouts during World War I wrote:

"And give to Lochiel and Lord Lovat the van, With their pipers in front, and marshalled each Clan! For the sake of our fathers who won Waterloo! All kilted and plaided, so gallant and true!"

— Robertson, Angus Cameron

Between 1920 and 1936 he was aide-de-camp to King George V.[7] 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 and Commissioner of the peace until his death in 1951.[8] On 1 February 1941, Lochiel was appointed Commander, Inverness Group of the Home Guard.[9]

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 chief to organise Clan Cameron gatherings, which took place for the first time in 1938.[2]

French commando troops undergoing training at Achnacarry

During the Second World War, he vacated his residence of Achnacarry to the British military for 25,000 soldiers to undergo elite commando training between 1942 and 1945. Achnacarry, transformed into the Commando Basic Training Centre, was known to the soldiers as "Castle Commando".[10]

In March 1906 he married Lady Hermione Emily Graham, daughter of Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose and Violet Graham, Duchess of Montrose; 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 (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)

• Home Guard List 1941: Scottish Command. London, United Kingdom: Savannah Paperback Classics. ISBN 978-1902366258.

• http://www.lochiel.net/chiefs/XXV.html lochiel.net
• Portraits of Donald Walter Cameron of Lochiel at the National Portrait Gallery, London