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Major General A P W MacLellan CB CVO MBE
Late Coldstream Guards
by Colonel J D Bagshaw CBE LVO
formerly Coldstream Guards
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Major General Patrick MacLellan died peacefully in his sleep on 19th April aged 98. He was, first and foremost, a very distinguished officer and Coldstreamer and extremely well remembered by all who served alongside him. On retirement he enjoyed an equally fine record in a very varied career of public and charitable service.
His lifetime of public service, has, to a degree, been overshadowed by the part he played in ‘Bloody Sunday’ when he was Commander 8 Brigade in Londonderry. That day, rather unfairly, dominated his obituaries in The Times and Daily Telegraph, and so I will avoid yet another exhaustive account at the expense of so much else that he did. Suffice to say it is accepted that MacLellan did order Wilford, then in command of 1 PARA to launch his support company, the catalyst for the mayhem that followed. However, the Saville Inquiry was clear that he had been misled on the situation on the ground and had never envisaged the incursion into the Bogside that occurred. As a result, the Inquiry cleared him of all wrong doing. Meanwhile Wilford was found to have disobeyed his orders.
Patrick MacLellan was born on 29th November 1925 in Glasgow and after attending Uppingham was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 1944 and posted to the Reinforcement Holding Company of 5th Battalion, from which 3rd Battalion emerged. 3rd Battalion was originally destined for the Far East but the end of the war in Japan saw them diverted to Palestine as part of 1st Guards Brigade where they engaged in counter terrorist operations. He remained with the Battalion for much of his early career, interrupted by stints at the School of Infantry and the Guards Depot as Adjutant. He was again Adjutant but of 3rd Battalion in 1952, serving in Egypt, before assuming command of No 1 Company, 1st Battalion in Germany.
In 1957 he attended Staff College before becoming DAA&QMG (DCOS for the younger reader) 4th Guards Armoured Brigade, commanded by the then Brigadier W A G Burns. After more time with 1st Battalion he became Military Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral of the Fleet Lord Mountbatten of Burma. It was a taxing tour of 3 years, but as Mountbatten later wrote, ‘he took the opportunity well’ and was considered ‘a most able officer’. It was no surprise that he was awarded an MBE for his efforts.
Promoted to local Lieutenant Colonel in 1964 he joined the Directing Staff at Army Staff College before a stint as the Army member on the Defence Planning Staff during the Borneo Campaign, by which time he was a substantive Lieutenant Colonel. In 1968 he assumed command of the 1st Battalion, stationed in Chelsea Barracks. On his arrival, the Adjutant was weary of his rather fearsome reputation as a staff officer but also found that ceremonial and public duties were not really his penchant. As a result, he managed to get the upper hand initially by inviting Pat to concentrate on things like the Major General’s inspection of the Battalion and improving his equestrian skills. The boot was firmly on the other foot, however, when at the end of that year, the Battalion moved to Tidworth to take on its Arctic Warfare role as part of the AMF (L). This was much more to his taste, though he did not much relish living in a snow covered tent when on exercise in north Norway. He relinquished command in 1970 and promoted to Colonel, spending the next 14 months as Colonel GS in HQ Near East Land Forces. He then promoted to Brigadier and assumed command of 8 Brigade in Londonderry in 1971. The tour left him a target for the IRA and he retained armed protection for the rest of his service.
In 1973 he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies before moving to HQ London District as Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander under the then Major General Philip Ward. His last role in the Army was as President of the Regular Commissions Board for which he was promoted Major General. It was a role that saw him for evermore accosted by individuals who remembered being interviewed by him; something he rather enjoyed.
On leaving the Army, he was no less busy. In 1980 he worked for the Savoy Hotel Group, remaining there until he was appointed Governor of HM Tower of London and Keeper of the Jewel House in 1984, where he stayed until 1989. Thereafter he was elected to the Court of Common Council in the City of London as member for Walbrook Ward. He was very active in the city’s governance and was a member of the Port and City of London Health and Social Services Committee and later Chairman of the Police Committee for the City of London Police. Finally, he was also the Chairman for the State Visit of the Emperor of Japan. The foundation of this strong association with the City of London was his membership of the Worshipful Company of Fletchers of whom he was Master between 1997-1998. He was also a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames.
In 1979 he began a long association with the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal’s Volunteer Corps) when he joined their Advisory Council. He subsequently became their chairman, a post he remained in until 2005. He was both influential and enthusiastic and they credit him with re-establishing recognition of their purpose and work in support of local authorities and the military, helping turn them in to the thriving organisation they are today. He was also a member and/or chairman of various committees supporting the Officers Association, Army Benevolent Fund and the Royal Humane Society. Finally, he was a lifelong Freemason and was President and Chairman of the Masonic Samaritan Fund from 1994-97.
He was awarded a CB in 1981 on leaving the Army and a CVO in 1989 in recognition of his service as Governor at the Tower of London. In addition, he was a Chevalier de La Légion d’Honneur and the wonderfully named Japanese Order of The Sacred Treasure with Gold Rays.
He is survived by Mary, née Bagnell, who he married in 1954, and his three children, a son and twin daughters.
A memorial service will be held for Major General Pat MacLellan at 2pm on 5th July 2024 in the Guards’ Chapel. Those intending to come should please inform the Regimental Adjutant Coldstream Guards. |
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