Lieutenant-Colonel Rohan Delacombe
8th Battalion, Royal Scots

I don’t think I’ll be blown to bits today or tomorrow because of this Cuban business. My assessment of the Russian character is that while they will go to any length in applying pollical, moral or economic pressures, they will always endeavor to stop just short of war.

(Quoted in Montreal Gazette, 26 Oct 1962, 1)

Born on 25 October 1906 in St. Julian’s, Malta, Rohan Delacombe was a commissioned with the Royal Scots since 1926. He was educated at Harrow School before attending Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He served with the 1st Battalion in Egypt, China, India and Palestine where he participated in the suppression of the Arab revolt in the years prior to the Second World War. In 1940, he was assigned to 4th Infantry Brigade during the battle of France and then was posted to the general staff of Adrian Carton de Wiart during the Norway campaign.

Following staff college instructional duties, by 1943, Delacombe was commanding officer of the 8th Battalion, Royal Scots in the 227th Infantry Brigade of 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division. The formation landed in Normandy on 18 June 1944. Although he would be wounded and put out of action just a month later, during his short tenure he earned the Distinguished Service Order:

Throughout this very critical period, by his cool methodical manner and utter disregard for danger, he kept his bn confident and intact, and, at the same time, maintained touch throughout with Bde HQ. The splendid example he has set inspired all ranks of his bn in this their first action, an action which entailed very severe fighting and a large number of casualties.

After recovery, Delacombe was assigned to the Italian theatre and commanded the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots in the 66th Brigade, 1st Division. Following the war, he was posted to India and Malaya. In 1950, he was promoted to colonel and made Commander of the Order of the British Empire. During the 1950s, he commanded a brigade in Germany and by the end of the decade was commandant of the British Sector in Berlin. He continued in this role through the Berlin Crisis of 1961. After the end of the assignment in May 1962, he went on a speaking tour of Canada that fall, during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

He retired from the army as a major-general in 1962 and was knighted. The next year was appointed Governor of Victoria in Australia. Facing political criticism of the appointment of a non-Australian, Delacombe stated, “I have been a with a Scottish regiment for 36 years and feel I am almost a Scot. I hope, when I live in Australia, to identify myself 100 per cent with Australia and Victoria.” After eleven years as governor, he retired in May 1974.

Sir Rohan Delacombe died in Shrewton, Wiltshire on 10 November 1991.