Lt.-Col. Archibald Henry Buchanan-Dunlop, OBE

From the webpage of St. John Fisherrow Lodge No. 112:

http://stjohn112.co.uk/a%20h%20buchanan-dunlop%20pm.html

A Tribute to Brother Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Henry Buchanan-Dunlop, O.B.E., 1874-1947

• Right Worshipful Master of Lodge St. John Fisherrow No. 112 (Chartered March 15th, 1768)
• Right Worshipful Master of The Loretto Centenary Lodge No. 1373 (Chartered November 6th, 1930)
• An officer, gentleman, and a dedicated Freemason

Researched and written by Bro. Thomas Chrystal, Past Master of Lodge St. John Fisherrow No. 112

Edited and produced by Bro. John C. Shaw, Assistant Secretary Lodge St. John Fisherrow No. 112

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When I first saw the article "Loretto Pupil Who Stopped The War" in the Edinburgh Evening News on Monday, December 7th, 1998, I recognised the name as that of our Past Master's. I had every right to recognise the name as I had been looking at it on the Past Master's Boards hanging on the wall of our Lodge for many years.

When I read the article, I was intrigued by the story and decided that I had to do some research to see if I could find out more about this amazing man. This short biography is the result of my endeavors.

My thanks must go to Mr. Graham Buchanan-Dunlop, Grandson of Lt. Col. A. H. Buchanan Dunlop, the Bursar and Clerical Staff of Loretto School, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, the Army HQ Administration Department at Edinburgh Castle, Mr. Philip R. French, the Deputy Curator of the City of Leicester Department of Art and Leisure, East Lothian Council Libraries (Historic Section) and Register of Houses in Edinburgh. Without the help and information supplied by them, I would never have been able to complete my research.

I also wish to thank all the Brethren who have come along to hear this Tribute to Our Most Famous Brother.

Loretto School also allowed me to borrow the Regalia and other items for this Presentation of the Tribute to Lt. Col. A. H. Buchanan-Dunlop, O.B.E.

Brother Thomas Chrystal, Past Master, Lodge St. John Fisherrow No. 112

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Loretto Pupil Who Stopped The War'

The Loretto pupil was none other than Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Henry Buchanan-Dunlop, O.B.E., T.D., 16th Laird of Drumhead, Cardross and Dunbartonshire. A distringuished Brother and Past Master of both Lodge St. John Fisherrow No. 112 and the Loretto Centenary Lodge No. 1373.

Lieutenant Colonel Archiald Henry Buchanan-Dunlop was born the eldest of four sons of the 15th Laird of Drumhead, Dunbartonshire, Colonel H. D. Buchanan-Dunlop and his wife. His father, Col. H.D. Buchanan-Dunlop brought his family to live in Inveresk in 1886. It was then that he became a pupil at Loretto School and stayed until 1889 when he joined the Sandhurst Military College. After passing out from Sandhurst, he joined the Royal Yorkshire Regiment as a subaltern in 1894. He served two years (1900-1902) in the South African (Boer) War during which he won both the Queen's and King's Medals. It was while serving in South Africa that A.H. Buchanan-Dunlop began his Masonic Career. He was Initiated, Passed, and Raised in Lodge Rising Star No. 1022 English Constitution. He returned, albeit temporarily, to civilian life in 1909 at Loretto School.

On return to Loretto School after serving during the South African War, the first of many jobs undertaken at the school was that of physical training instructor. In 1910, he joined the Territorial Army and was attached to the Royal Scots as Major. He also founded the Loretto School Officer Training Corps, and commanded the same until 1928. It was a natural progression for Lt. Col. Buchanan-Dunlop to initiate the organisation of this new venture within the school with his usual vigour.

During his extensive military career, he was commissioned and served firstly in the Royal Berkshire Regiment in 1894, and served as Captain in the Leicestershire and Lancashire Fusiliers. He retired and returned to Loretto School. On the outbreak of the First World War, aged 40, he found himself back in uniform.

His first job was Embarkation Officer at Southampton. He was then appointed Major 2 i/c of the Leicestershire Regiment and was soon back in active service at Ypres in Belgium where the remarkable truce on Christmas Day 1914 took place.

The Colonel, accompanied by some of his men, wandered into "No Man's Land" and met with the enemy. They spent over an hour conversing with the German officers and men. This was confirmed in letters that he wrote to his wife, who was asked to thank his mother for sending the pocket editions of the Gospels of St. John for the Colonel to read to his troops in their darkest hours. The two armies met face to face, they exchanged cigarettes, etc., and then proceeded to conduct a carol service which had been prepared for the pupils of Loretto for Christmas 1913. A game of football followed before the men returned to the trenches. As we know now, the truce was not welcomed or approved of by the British High Command, who issued orders banning any other such actions. The Colonel found himself in serious trouble with his superiors for the major part he played in the truce. However, this event made international headlines across the world. The Daily Sketch, published in London, quoted the Colonel as "One of the Moving Spirits in this Wonderful Xmas Truce".

The Colonel was instrumental in setting up Talbot House behind the front line, a club used by officers and enlisted men alike for rest and respite after having been at the front for a certain length of time. These clubs were normally for officers only.

Within the last ten years, Loretto School has been twinned with "The Helige Familie School" at Ypres. Just before Christmas 1998, the two schools met at Ypres and unveiled a Peace Bell dedicated to Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Henry Buchanan-Dunlop and the German officer in charge, Johannes Nieman, who helped organise the truce.

Bro. Buchanan-Dunlop, it must be remembered that during this period of his service he was a Major, was on the strength of the 1st Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment. The Battalion had been involved with the fighting around Armentieres and Rue de Bois. On 31st May 1915, his battalion moved into the line at Ypres Salient and it continued in the Salient until the end of July 1916. On 2nd October 1915, a sniper killed the commanding officer, Lt. Col. Stoney-Smith and Major Buchanan-Dunlop temporarily took command. It was reported that Lt. Col. Gillespie took command on 15th September 1916. Sometime during this action in 1916, Major Buchanan-Dunlop suffered injury during a gas attack and after convalescence he was invalided out of the army in 1917 as Lt. Col. A. H. Buchanan-Dunlop.

Despite being invalided out of active service, Lt. Col. Buchanan-Dunlop immediately joined the Volunteer Corps and commanded the Midlothian Volunteer Battalion until the end of the war. The Colonel as returned to Loretto School to take up his duties, that of Art and Sports Master as well as Officer Commanding of the Officer Training Corps. He compiled the school's "Roll of Honour", which was published in 1924. Out of 628 former pupils, 147 lost their lives fighting for their country during the 1914-1918 World War. By 1927 he had completed the compilation of the Second Register of Loretto School.

In 1928, he became the school's first Bursar. Despite having no business training and no existing guidelines to help him, he became most proficient in this post and held it until he retired in 1937. He resigned from the Territorial Army in 1935. It grieved him greatly that he was unable to continue to live in Musselburgh and he moved to Drumfoot at Lasswade.

On his retirement, there was a presentation ceremony when the Colonel was presented with an antique electric standard lamp and a walnut cabinet on behalf of the merchants of Musselburgh. During his long period as bursar, he had always taken the school's custom to the local merchants and this was much appreciated by them. Lt. Col. Buchanan-Dunlop commented on the fact that bursars from other schools had complained about the difficulty of obtaining certain commodities. He always told them he had no such problems and that the merchants of Musselburgh were always able to satisfy the school's requirements.

On the outbreak of war in 1939, at the age of 65, he joinedthe Edinburgh ARP (Air Raid Patrol) Service. He tried to join the Pioneer Corps with the intention of getting out to France. This he was unable to do and had to content himself with commanding a company of the Home Guard. For this service, he earned the Defence Medal which entitled him to wear medals for service in three wars.

In 1940 until 1947, he gave his service as County Army Welfare Officer for the City of Edinburgh. It was in 1945 that he received his OBE in recognition of his fine service.

The school held Colonel Buchanan-Dunlop in high esteem. He was always up to something. His dress was always immaculate with tweed suit (plus fours), his monocle and with his very large hand-carved pipe sitting on his chin. He wrote and produced plays for the school. He would organise props; he would even do the make-up. He would often get up on stage and entertain the pupils with funny songs. He also put on exhibitions of the pupil's work.

The Colonel was an all-around sportsman, excelling in fencing, shooting, cricket, golf, and rugby. He played rugby to good standard, and he represented the Berkshire Regiment, the Berkshire Wanderers, and the Orange River Colony. He holds the unusual honor of being the only Scot to play for the Orange Free State rugby fifteen. He represented the British Army at golf. He also excelled in "Swedish Drill", which I am led to believe is a fast form of gymnastics.

He represented Lodge St. John Fisherrow No. 112 many times in our annual golf matches with Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2 as well as many Provincial golf tournaments. He was Captain of the Royal Musselburgh Golf Club in the years 1919-1920 and was also Past President of the Musselburgh Curling Club. He also became a Musselburgh Town Councillor in 1919, and served three years on the council. He was President of the local Royal British Legion Branch. In 1925, he was Captain of the Fettesian-Lorettorian Cricket Club. He served as President of the local branch of the Royal British Legion. He was also an active committee member of the Earl Haig Fund that does so much for ex-servicemen.

Brethren, he was a truly remarkable man.

• Bro. A.H. Buchanan-Dunlop, PM: Freemason
• Lieutenant Colonel Buchanan-Dunlop commenced his Masonic career when he joined Lodge Rising Star No. 1022, English Constitution, in South Africa.
• He affiliated to Lodge St. John Fisherrow No. 112 in 1920. He first took office in 1924 as Standard Bearer. He was unable to attend the Installation Ceremony in December 1923, but he presented the lodge with a Standard Bearer's Jewel on 20th February 1924. The Right Worshipful Master, Bro. Richard Shields, thanked him on behalf of the lodge and proceeded to invest him with the Jewel he just presented to the Lodge. He was installed as Right Worshipful Master of the Lodge on 21st December 1927 and reinstalled on 19th December 1928. On his reinstallation, the Lodge was reduced to the 1st Degree when the Colonel initiated two of his sons into Freemasonry. Afterwards the Lodge continued with the Installation Ceremony and his sons then witnessed their father being installed into the Chair. Before vacating the Chair at the end of his second year. the Colonel initiated his third son into the Craft. As Immediate Past Master, the Colonel was presented with the gavel to raise his second son to the Third or Master Mason Degree, thereby allowing the Colonel to have the honor of Initiating, Passing, and Raising his sons into the Craft.

The Colonel was a Founder Member of the Lodge Loretto Centenary No. 1373, which was Chartered on November 6th 1930. He was Secretary for two years and was then installed as Right Worshipful Master in December 1932, a position he held for the next four years. Brethren, six years as Master of a Lodge over a nine year period - as already said, a truly remarkable man.

The Colonel's Founder Member Jewel, his Past Master's Apron, and the Lodge Immediate Past Master's Jewel are held in the Loretto School Library.

The final chapter of this story is very pleasing to relate. When Bro. Bobby Law was installed as Right Worshipful Master on 23rd December 1944, one of his first duties was to inform the Brethren that Bro. A. H. Buchanan-Dunlop was to receive a high honour of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) at the hand of King George VI at the Palace of Holyrood House. It makes it even more pleasing to know that King George VI was a Past Grand Master Mason of Scotland while he was still the Duke of York, and was a member of The Lodge of Glamis No. 99 in Glamis in Forfarshire, which was the Queen Mother's home before they were married.

Sadly, the Colonel passed to the Grand Lodge Above on Saturday, 13th December 1947, aged 73 years at his home, Drumfoot, Lasswade. His funeral was held on Thursday, 18th December, first in St. Leonard's Church, Lasswade, and thereafter at Warriston Crematorium. The service was conducted by the Bishop of Edinburgh assisted by the Rector, Canon T. G. S. Presslie, and the Rev. William Robert Buchanan-Dunlop, who was Bro. Lt. Col. A.H. Buchanan-Dunlop's youngest brother.

Lt. Col. A. H. Buchanan-Dunlop was an officer and a gentleman. He also had strong Christian beliefs which guided him throughout his life. He was extremely loyal to his Church, his men, his pupils, his friends, and all with whom he had dealings in all walks of life. This can be seen from the notice referring to his passing, which was placed in the newspaper by his Church, which read, "A loyal Churchman, a great Christian, and a great Gentleman has passed from our midst."

His three sons proudly carried on the family Military traditions into the Second World War and beyond:

• Robert Arthur Buchanan-Dunlop, OBE, 17th Laird of Drumhead, Lt. Col., Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion The Cameronians "The Scottish Rifles".
• Archibald Ian Buchanan-Dunlop, CBE, DSO - Brigadier, Commanding Officer 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Royal Scots Fusiliers
• David Kennedy Buchanan-Dunlop, DSC, Captain, Royal Navy, who completed a most distinguished career as Captain, Royal Naval College, Greenwich, 1962-1964, and Commodore President 1964.

Lt. Col. A. H. Buchanan-Dunlop also had two grandsons who followed the family traditions of regular army service, both serving in Scottish Regiments, one of whom, Mr. Graham Buchanan-Dunlop, has assisted in providing information and verifying the accuracy of this tribute, so far as his personal knowledge allowed. For this, we gratefully acknowledge his assistance. His grandsons and two granddaughters are named below:

• Col. Robert Daubeny Buchanan-Dunlop, OBE, born 11 August 1939, son of the above Robert Arthur Buchanan-Dunlop. Served in the Scots Guards in various zones worldwide 1959-1984. Places served were in North-west Europe, Middle East, North America, Staff College Camberley, US Armed Forces Staff College Virginia, Commanding Officer 8th Company Tyrone Battalion, Ulster Defense Regiment, and in 1984 Col. Chief of Staff, HQ Northern Ireland.
• Maj. Archibald Graham Buchanan-Dunlop, born 18th May 1940, son of above Archibald Ian Buchanan-Dunlop. Served in various zones worldwide 1957-1974, with 1st Battalion Royal Highland Fusiliers. Places served were: Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Aden, Malta, Libya, British Army of the Rhine, United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, Adjutant Jungle Warfare School, Malaya, Company Commander Security and Intelligence Department.
• Lillias Mary Buchanan-Dunlop, born 9th September 1937, daughter of the above Robert Arthur Buchanan-Dunlop
• Belinda Mary Buchanan-Dunlop, born 31st October 1943, daughter of the above Archibald Ian Buchanan-Dunlop.

We also wish to thank the Bursar of Loretto School and his clerical staff for their assistance in providing information and also for lending me the Colonel's Masonic Regalia and pictures in order that we could photograph them. The Regalia and other items were also let to us in order that we could display them during the presentation of this Tribute. Also, the visiting Brethren who have come along to hear this fascinating story of a member of this, our Mother Lodge.

We must also express our gratitude to the Grand Lodge of Scotland, Assistant Curator of Leicester City Museum of Art, Mr. Philip R. French, Army HQ Admin Section at Edinburgh Castle, East Lothian Council Libraries (Historical Section), and Register House Edinburgh for all their help.

Bro. Thomas Chrystal, Past Master, Lodge St. John Fisherrow No. 112