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1596 Major I.B.Stcvenson R.E.
lan was at QVS from 1934-1938 and was one of the first of many OVs to go on to the Army Technical School at Chepstow. In his words "I had my War' (39-45) and, after a course at Chatham became an RE Clerk of Works until, after being a W01 for ten years, he was commissioned in 1953. lan had two sons at QVS, 3030 Robert and 3129 Gordon, very convenient for his employment on retiring in 1978 when he joined the PSA in Scotland, serving as a Technical Officer at RAF Machrihanish until again retiring at age 65 only to be asked to return after 15 months on a part time basis. He agreed and continued to work there until he died in May 2002. Another staunch 0V, very proud of his School and his two 0V sons.
1571 William (Bill) Barclay
Bill Joined the School in 1934 returning home in 1936. He was in business as a Property Developer in the South of England and, despite the distance between Dunblane and Bournemouth, kept in contact, especially in respect of attendance at the Reunion and Grand Day. He was also a strong supporter of the London Branch. Bill's wife Ruth wrote of him. Through his life QVS was one of the highlights, often saying 'it was the making of him' and he was fiercely proud of his School'. He was 80 when he died on New Year's Day 2003.
711 John McLay
One of our older OVs John joined the School in 1919 after his father, a Boer War Veteran, died tragically as the result of an accident. He became a cornet player in the Military Band and was a keen and competent sportsman. He left in 1924 to take up apprenticeship as a mechanic at the Clyde Valley Power Station, Yoker, remaining in employment for SO years until he retired, by which time he was recognised as The Motor Engineer for the SSEB Fleet.
As a young man he continued his sporting interests, playing in goal for Clyde F.C. in the West of Scotland Amateur League. John lived in l.args and was a great supporter of the OVA, both financially and with his presence at School events. Indeed, he rarely missed Grand Day. Coincidentally, he died on 17th June 2002 and his funeral was held on Friday 21st June!
1236 Bill Swan
The son of a Royal Horse Artillery Battery Sergeant Major, Bill joined the School in 1927. He was a drummer and bugler in the Pipe Band and joined the RHA in 1934 as a Boy Trumpeter, a 'badgie' as such boys were known. In 1939 he was transferred to 78th Field Regiment RA seeing active service in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. In 1945 he returned to 2RHA as W02 until demob in 1946 when he joined the Mounted Branch of the Edinburgh City Police until his retirement in 1973.
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A very staunch member of the OVA and an ever present at the Reunion and on Grand Day. After his death on 30th December 2002, the current Mounted Branch Members of I.othian and Borders Police paid their tribute to Badgie Bill by escorting his funeral procession to his final resting place.
1371 William Morton
The eldest of 3 brothers from a Black Watch family Bill joined QVS in 1929, was directed to trade tailoring and enlisted in the Black Watch in 1922 into the Regimental tailoring shop. During the ensuing years, coached by his father, he became a very proficient boxer, winning the Battalion welter weight Championship on two occasions. In 1939 Bill qualified as a small arms instructor, was promoted to Sergeant and recommended for officer training. He was commissioned in the Northamptonshire Regiment, volunteered for the Parachute Regiment and posted to Italy where he was injured. Bill left the Army in 1945, returning to his original trade of tailoring, but found it difficult to obtain suitable employment in the trade and moved into management of manufacturing companies, before final retirement to Lincolnshire. Bill was a quiet man who liked to be involved and never lost contact with his School of which he was inordinately proud. Sadly, after a short illness, he died aged 83 at Louth Hospital on 27th November 2002.
Dukie/Victorian Peter Caine
Peter came to QVS during the evacuation from DYRMS in 1940. He left from training as an Armourer at AAS Aborfield in 1944 and mustered to REME in 1947, rising to SSgt prior to retirement in 1959. He joined Gillette as a junior manager and, after 30 years service, he moved to a new firm Sabre. Peter was a firm supporter of the London/SE Branch but, latterly, his mobility was restricted due to suffering from emphysema keeping him permanently linked to an oxygen machine.
2089 Frank Blake
Frank joined the School in May 1943, and was more attuned to life here than most, with his father a member of the school staff and his brother Eddie (1834) already well known as a saxophonist and nature lover. Frank was attracted to the RE Ordnance Survey and he served his apprenticeship at AAS Taunton, followed by AAS Harrogatc, mustering to the Royal Engineers. His first posting was to BAOR then Cyprus and, thereafter, to Aden to map the empty Quarter in Yemen. He was married in 1959 and was posted to Singapore before returning to UK and Barton Stacey. He completed his 22 years service as a Staff Sergeant and retired to work for a survey firm in Maidenhead, Fairey Surveys, currently known as F.SR. He managed Quality Control there and was much in favour with Army contacts as they respected him for the product he supervised and delivered. He worked for F.SR for
25 years but, sadly, was stricken by cancer for 4 years and died at home on 26 November 2002.
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