David McDowall (British Army officer)
David McDowall | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 August 1954 |
| Died | 24 April 2025 (aged 70) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Service years | 1973–2009 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | Royal Corps of Signals |
| Commands | 2nd Infantry Division 1st Signal Brigade |
| Conflicts / operations | |
| Awards | |
Major General David McDowall CBE (16 August 1954 – 24 April 2025) was a British Army officer who commanded the 2nd Division from 2007 to 2009.
Military career
McDowall joined the British Army as a private in the Royal Corps of Signals at the age of 18.[1] He was commissioned into the corps in 1981,[2] and later commanded a squadron in operations in Northern Ireland and a regiment in operations during the Bosnian War.[1] He went on to be commander 1st Signal Brigade and then Signal Officer-in-Chief,[3] before being appointed General Officer Commanding 2nd Division and Governor of Edinburgh Castle[4] in 2007 and retiring in 2009.[5]
McDowall served as a member of the British Government's Panel on Fair Access to the Professions,[6] and military adviser to the First Minister of Scotland.[7]
McDowall piped in the Royal Signals Pipes and Drums, having learnt to play before joining. In 2009, the year of his retirement, he was the lone piper at the Edinburgh Tattoo.[8] In 2024, he became President of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association.[9]
Personal life and death
McDowall was married to Valerie; they had two sons and a daughter.[1] He died on 24 April 2025, at the age of 70.[10]
References
- ^ a b c Scotland's top soldier on his rise through the ranks from council estate to top brass Daily Record, 11 August 2008
- ^ "No. 48928". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 March 1982. p. 4009.
- ^ Recent Branch Activities Archived 11 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine the Mercury, 2003/4
- ^ "No. 58330". The London Gazette. 18 May 2007. p. 7193.
- ^ Army Commands Archived 5 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ David McDowall interview: The class warrior The Scotsman, 29 January 2009
- ^ Salmond faces flak on recruitment of military adviser Glasgow Herald, 9 October 2009
- ^ HQ, RSPBA (25 April 2025). "Passing Of RSPBA President Major General David McDowall CBE". RSPBA. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
- ^ "Officials". RSPBA. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ "David McDowall, 1954–2025". Pipes Drums. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 28 April 2025.