Donald Hamish Cameron of Lochiel

Colonel Sir Donald Hamish Cameron of Lochiel KT CVO TD JP (12 September 1910 – 26 May 2004) was the 26th Chief of Clan Cameron, a Scottish landowner and a financier. He was also known simply as Lochiel while clan chief.

Eldest son of Sir Donald Walter Cameron of Lochiel by his wife Lady Hermione Graham who died in 1978, he succeeded his father as the 26th Lochiel in 1951. His uncle, the 7th Duke of Montrose (died 1992), was a Rhodesian MP and government minister.

Biography
After attending Harrow, the 19-year-old Master of Lochiel was commissioned in the Lovat Scouts before going up to Balliol College, Oxford where he graduated as BA in 1933.

At the outbreak of World War II in 1939 he joined his regiment on mobilisation and was promoted Major in late 1940. He served throughout the Second World War and was mentioned in dispatches during the Italian Campaign. He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in 1945 and Colonel in 1957. From 1958 he served as Honorary Colonel of the 4th/5th Bn Cameron Highlanders (TA).

After active service, he worked in London as an accountant and qualified as FCA. Cameron and his wife lived in Kensington before taking up residence at Achnacarry upon his succession as Clan Chief in 1951.

His experience as a chartered accountant helped with the restructuring of the Cameron estates, which were subject to considerable death duties upon the death of his father, Sir Donald Cameron 25th of Lochiel. Through the sale of Fassiefern and Drimsallie, as well as land on the north side of Loch Arkaig, the 26th Lochiel successfully negotiated the austere post-war economic conditions, developing a sustainable future for the regional economy. His popularity in the Scottish Highlands saw him elected a County Councillor on Inverness County Council, serving until 1971.

Cameron was Chairman of Scottish Widows (Life Assurance) between 1964 and 1967, and Vice-chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland from 1969 until 1980. He was also a Crown Estates Commissioner from 1957 until 1969, and President of the Scottish Landowners Federation (1979–85).

He was Lord-Lieutenant of Inverness-shire from 1971 to 1985. Following his knighthood in 1973, Lochiel's banner hung in St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh until his death in 2004.

Family
In 1939 he married Margaret Doris, only daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel The Hon. Nigel Gathorne-Hardy DSO JP.

Sir Donald and Lady Cameron had two sons: Donald Angus Cameron 27th and present Lochiel and John Cameron (born 1954) who married in 1982 Dr Julia Wurtzburg; and two daughters: Anne (born 1942) married Timothy Nott-Bower (son of Sir John Nott-Bower) and Caroline (born 1943) married Blaise Hardman (son of Sir Donald Hardman).

Honours

 * Order of the Thistle UK ribbon.png – KT 1973
 * Royal Victorian Order UK ribbon.png – CVO 1970
 * Order of St John (UK) ribbon.png – KStJ 1974
 * Ribbon - Efficiency Decoration (South Africa).png – TD 1944
 * Ribbon - 1939-45 Star.png – 1939–1945 Star
 * Ribbon - Italy Star.png – Italy Star
 * Ribbon - Defence Medal.png – Defence Medal
 * Ribbon - War Medal.png – War Medal