Category: Passing’s

It was with great sadness that all in the Buchan Battalion learned of the passing of one of our most respected officers, Lt Andrew West, at the age of 86 years.

Andrew’s path to the BB was not, perhaps, the most straight forward one. He had tried to join the 1st Fraserburgh Company in the 1950s but in those days of a booming roll Captain Sinclair put him on the waiting list. Never one to dwell on disappointments, he instead joined a rival organisation demonstrating a life-long trait not to allow himself to be held back but instead to get on with it!

Thankfully for us, he came back. Andrew’s BB career finally started the mid-1970s as a married man and father of two. His sons, Malcolm and David, were members of the 1st Fraserburgh but with a fledging Company Section, parents stepped in to help the company grow. Andra and his late wife Chris joined the Parent Fundraising Committee, neither of them leaving Christian Youth Work for the remainder of their lives. After Andra’s initial involvement, it wasn’t long before he was asked to instruct badgework classes for the Company and then, in 1983, he was invited to join the Company staff as a Lieutenant by Captain Sinclair the younger! He therefore had a 45 year association with the 1st Fraserburgh Company, 39 of those years as an Officer. For 28 years, from 1994, he was Company Treasurer.

It would be fair to say of Andra that he never occupied the centre stage. That was not ‘Mr West’. He typically worked behind the scenes, occupying important jobs on a Friday night, particularly the badgework. Like a good minister, Mr West gave a ‘long sermon’ in his classes providing genuine life-stories from his own experience for any topic or question that may arise. He was content being useful, doing his bit and helping others with no appetite for plaudits or recognition.

Most of our readers across the Battalion will know Mr West best of all for his role as Queen’s Badge Advisor; a duty he undertook for almost 24 years. Between 1997-2020 he guided hundreds of young men in Buchan through their Queen’s Badge journey. He was dedicated to that post and extremely thorough, ensuring that all his candidates had the best chance of achieving the highest award in the BB. His candidates were noted for the quality of their work, thanks in no small part to his role in ensuring that the agreed programme and the books were completed correctly and to the highest standard to the candidate’s ability. He became so respected by the Battalion Executive that in 2014 the Constitution was changed specifically to make the Queen’s Badge Advisor an Executive Office-bearer. Further, when he was finally able to leave the role in 2020 he was co-opted onto the Executive without portfolio, so valued was his wisdom and knowledge.

Andra was a dedicated Christian and on Sundays was always found in the Auld Kirk. He was ordained an Elder by the late Rev Douglas R. Clyne in 1976 and served his district dutiful for 45 years. He will be sorely missed by the Church.

Away from BB and Church his main passion was photography, serving as President of Fraserburgh Photographic Society for 43 years until he retired in 2019. Andra then served as Honorary President until his death. In October 2021 he was named on the Scottish Photographic Federation’s (SPF) Roll of Honour for 60 years service to the Fraserburgh Society – a lifetime achievement. The combination of Andra’s two life passions led to him building an archive of BB photography from the last 40 years; as in BB life, he preferred to be working away behind the camera rather than being in front of it.

Andra was predeceased by his beloved late wife Christabel in 2015 after 54 years of marriage. The President, Executive and all in the Battalion send our condolences to his sons Malcolm and David and to his wider family of whom he spoke often and was extremely proud. Always helpful; usually with smile; Mr West’s gentle humour and kind nature will be missed by all in our Battalion, and far beyond.

M A W Strachan

Queen’s Badge Advisor

We were all shocked and saddened to hear the news about Duncan Leel Jnr last week. Our thoughts and prayers go to Duncan Snr and Jessie at this very sad and difficult time.

Funeral arrangements have now been confirmed and are posted below. Could we ask all officers/boys past and present, who plan to attend to wear BB uniform/tie if at all possible? This will be very much appreciated.

LEEL

(Fraserburgh)

Suddenly and sadly at home on Saturday June 4, 2022, Duncan Scott, aged 40 years, beloved son of Duncan and Jessie, loving grandson, nephew, cousin and good friend to many. Funeral service from Fraserburgh Old Parish Church on Thursday June 16 at 10am, thereafter to Rathen Cemetery, to which all family and friends are respectfully invited. Coaches will be leaving from the church to the cemetery and back to the church centre, the family have requested these be used to ease congestion. Family flowers only please but donations may be given in lieu, if so desired at church door in aid of 1st Fraserburgh Boys Brigade. Very sadly missed.

Alexander Buchan & Son, Funeral Directors

It was with a deep sense of shock and sadness that many of us heard of the sudden passing of Duncan Leel Jnr, aged only 40 years.

Duncan was a long-time member of the 1st Fraserburgh Company after briefly starting his BB journey in the 1st New Pitsligo Anchors. In 1992/93, when the 1st Fraserburgh Company Band was reformed, Duncan was quick to sign up. Learning the snare drum under Alastair Sinclair, he would go on to become senior drummer to the band. In 2002 he was appointed Bandmaster of the Company Band and served in that post for the next 20 years. Under his tenure the band had a number of successes at the BB Scottish Band Contests.

Followers from further afield will remember Duncan from the many Scottish Band competitions he attended as a boy, officer and bandmaster. In many respects many of his old boys will remember him most fondly for the same thing, from the days when the pilgrimage to the contest was an annual event. His band was also the Band for the Buchan Battalion, being called upon to cover our parades.

Between 2016-20, Duncan served as Officer-in-Charge of the 1st Fraserburgh Junior Section. It was something of a return, being a long-standing senior officer of the section for the decade between 2000-10. A popular officer in Juniors, he won the Officer of the Year award on a number of occasions. In total, Duncan gave upwards of 20 years service to the Boys’ Brigade as a staff member and Lieutenant in his company.

Away from BB he is perhaps best known for managing and then owned the Dick’s Sports business. Many an officer will know of his kindness in business, as there was always a wee BB discount of some description added to the final bill. This was a kindness and helpfulness he had in all spheres of life and something that will be missed by his many friends. Very recently Duncan had embarked on a new career as a bus driver, something he loved and was proud of, which makes his untimely passing all the more cruel.

The only son of Jessie and Duncan Snr, lately Battalion President, the thoughts of all in Buchan are with them both at this incredibly sad and difficult time. Their family within this Brigade will be there to support them, always.

All in the Battalion were saddened to learn of the passing of BB stalwart, Mr Joe Watt, at the age of 81.
Mr Watt’s service in the BB started on 1st October 1950 when, at the age of 12, he was enrolled in the 1st Fraserburgh Company. He served through the ranks until 1956 when, reaching the upper age limit, he was discharged having given ‘good service‘ to the company. A skilled gymnast he competed with the crack PT teams, winning the Town Council Shield in his final year.
After national service Joe returned to help his company, being officially enrolled as Lieutenant with the Company in 1964. This saw a tough time for the company, which fell into temporary abeyance in 1969. What followed afterwards was perhaps Mr Watt’s greatest accomplishment in the BB: a leading officer in the Company Joe worked hard to revive the 1st Fraserburgh from a Company in abeyance to one of the strongest companies in the area. During his stint as Officer-in-Charge of Company Section from the 1970s until 1989, the section regularly enrolled 40-50 boys.
In 1988 he became Captain of the 1st Fraserburgh, taking over as “Skipper” from his old friend Alastair Sinclair. Serving in that post for 4 years he was clear who the most important people in the company were: “the boys ‐ without you there would be no Boys’ Brigade”. He saw the BB as an important means of delivering new skills to boys and, most important of all, to deliver them to a personal relationship with Christ.
When he retired in 1992, he did so believing it was now the turn of the next generation to lead.
His retirement was, however, virtually non-existent as the next chapter of his BB career opened instantaneously as a bandsman. Between 1992 and 2001 he taught and led the buglers of the award winning 1st Fraserburgh Bugle Band. He briefly served as bandmaster 2001-02 following the death of his great friend Mr Sinclair.
Joe also carried out a great deal of work for our Battalion. While the posts of Battalion high office never appealed to him, Joe worked for many years behind the scenes on the training committee and also as a member of the Company Section committee. By doing so he again worked hardest for the most important people in the organisation: the boys.
Following his second retirement in 2002 Joe did take more of a back seat but remained a dedicated supporter of the BB. As a respected Elder of the Church and BB he was often called upon as Inspecting Officer and his wife Sheila always had a job for him at the Anchor Boys parents night. There are hundreds of young men ‐ and some not-so-young ‐ around our Battalion who owe a great deal to Joe Watt for the time he gave in the hope of improving their chances in life. He is responsible for equipping a generation with new skills which undoubtedly gave them greater opportunities in life.
Upon becoming Captain in 1988 he remarked: “When the Company was started again 18 years ago, we had only a handful of boys. Many a Friday night we went home thinking, is it worth carrying on?”. We are grateful that he persevered!
At this sad time all at the Buchan Battalion offer our sincere and heart felt condolences to Mrs Sheila Watt, Joe’s devoted wife of 55 years, and their children Tracy and Peter, and grandchildren.

Capt M. A. W. Strachan
1st Rosehearty Coy.