Lieutenant-Colonel J. Roderick Sinclair
2nd Battalion, Gordon Highlanders

During the whole of this period he carried out his duties in the most gallant manner. He visited the companies frequently on foot, assisted in re-organisation and was always to be found where enemy fire was heaviest encouraging his men and exercising complete control over the most difficult situations.

(D.S.O. citation, 21 Dec 1944)

Born on 29 September 1906 in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, James Roderick Sinclair was commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders in 1926 and was promoted to captain in 1938. He served as second-in-command of the 2nd Battalion when it deployed to France with the rest of the 15th Scottish Division in late June 1944.

When Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Colville needed to take over 227th Infantry Brigade in mid-July, Sinclair assumed command of the battalion. For his leadership in subsequent actions, he earned the D.S.O.: “He showed an absolute disregard for his own safety and by his cool and confident manner Col Sinclair maintained the high state of morale within his bn during a period when causalities were heavy.”

When Brigadier Horatius Murray was elevated to 6th Armoured Division in mid-August, Sinclair was promoted to succeeded him in command of 153rd Infantry Brigade. Major R. Henderson took over as CO of the 2nd Gordons until the arrival of Lieutenant-Colonel R.W. de Winton. Sinclair led the brigade until the end of the war, and received Order of Leopold with palm and Croix de Guerre 1940 with palm from the Belgian government.

As chief of Clan Sinclair, he inherited the earldom of Caithness from his uncle in 1947. He served as advisor to the postindependence Burmese Army and then as first commander-in-chief of the Ceylon Army from 1949 to 1952. After retiring from the army, he became colonel of the Gordon Highlanders in 1957. Two years earlier, Lord Caithness had been appointed resident factor and manager for the Queen’s Estate at t Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, where he died on 8 May 1965.