Page 133 - RSDG Year of 2022 CREST

ART rejoined the regiment in Aden for six weeks before moving on to C Squadron in Hong Kong, via Guam and Singapore, where he was training officer. This was not a very demanding role and again there was much time for sport, karting, sailing, cross- country running and waterskiing.
In early 1964 success in an air crew selection course at Biggin Hill resulted in ART moving on to Middle Wallop for a year’s flying training and in May he rejoined Royal Scots Greys (Air Troop) at Fallingbostel Germany with Raymond Boileau. He then departed to train on scout helicopters and went to Malaya and was replaced by Sgt Morrish. During this period, ART was considerably influenced by Lieutenant Colonel John Stanier, the Commanding Officer, whom he flew frequently on formation exercises.
In 1966 ART moved to Libya flying Bell 47 helicopters in the desert. His flying tour lasted four years during which he had two lucky escapes and ended up back in Germany at Fallingbostel. During this period, he was captain of the regimental ski team which consisted of himself, Charles Westenholz, Nicholas Von Preussen, John Ross and Peter Gray and they had much success, winning the Army Alpine team competition at St Moritz including being the first team in Downhill, Giant Slalom and Slalom as well as the Stannis memorial race at Alpbach. Due to the lack of a more suitable Scotsman in St Moritz at the time of the Commonwealth Winter Games, ART represented Scotland in the downhill race and to his relief “luckily managed not to fall or be last!”
After the death of his father in 1962, Alexander’s home in Scotland, Charterhall, needed ever closer management but was not big enough to support a factor and with real regret he resigned his commission in 1968 having commanded Headquarters Squadron.
He returned home to assume executive responsibility for the family estate at Mortonhall an Charterhall which had suffered from serious death duties in the 1960s. Alexander was a countryman at heart and realised very early on that the role of landed estates needed to change to survive – efficiencies and diver- sification had to be embraced. He took on running and modernising the arable farming and forestry operations at Charterhall.
In June 1970 Alexander married Julia Greenwell, daughter of Sir Peter McClintock Greenwell Bt and Jean Henrietta Rose Greenwell (Nee Haig-Thomas), at St Paul’s Knightsbridge.
In 1974 at Mortonhall, on the south side of Edinburgh, he established his first hospitality and holiday park venture. Over the ensuing years, under his Meadowhead company, this business expanded to include sites at Belhaven Bay, Dunbar; Tantallon, North Berwick; and near Bamburgh and more recently Horncliffe Fishings Tweed, both in Northumberland.
From 1982-1986 Alexander was Convenor of the Scottish Landowners Federation and then its President. He remained an active member throughout his life recognising the need for landowning interests to speak with a united voice in Scotland’s rapidly changing political environment. In 1992 he was appointed to the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) UK and was the NCC Chairman in Scotland. He was involved closely in the establishment of the more devolved Scottish Natural Heritage. At home he was passionate about the stewardship of the countryside with the conservation of the grey partridge a priority; this concern was recognised by the GWCT with its award “Prize for Conservation in South East Scotland” for Charterhall’s Grey Partridge Recovery Project Scheme which continues today alongside the estate’s shooting and hunting activities. He was a past President of the Berwickshire Naturalists Society.
Like his father before him he was a Master of the Berwickshire Hunt from 1981 to 1991, and hunted hounds himself for three years; later its Chairman and until recently its President. He owned several point- to-pointers, most notably the successful steeplechaser ‘Bold Sir Brian’ who ran in the family colours, royal blue with white sleeves and sash with royal blue and white quartered Cap. For 20 years Alexander organised the BHS Charterhall Horse Trials and hosted a similar event at Mortonhall. He was recognised by the British Eventing for his outstanding leadership, dedication and support over many years by being made an “Honorary Life Member of British Eventing”. On his own horse in December 1992 he fell competing in the Regimental cross-country race, The Sprot Cup, breaking a vertebra in his neck, but remounted and finished 3rd overall and won the retired officers’ cup.
In 2000 Alexander was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire, undertaking duties including hosting visits to Berwickshire by HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh as well as HRH The Prince of Wales, HRH The Princess Royal, and the HRHs The Dukes of York and Wessex. Awarded the CVO in the Birthday Honours of 2014 in recognition of his 14 years of service, he retired as Lord Lieutenant in 2015.
He was a lifelong supporter of Christ Church Duns and Fogo Kirk and was involved in a number of charities
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