Obituary: Alan Millar, military educator who latterly devoted his life to his beloved Tighnabruaich

Alan Millar spent his professional life in the army and concentrated his energies on education with a distinguished career in the Royal Army Education Corps (RAEC). He was particularly responsible for the education of student officers and their preparation for examins at the Staff College at Camberley.

His connections with the south-west of Scotland remained fundamental to his life; it was an area to which he often returned and in which he lived for the last years of his life. During those years he contributed in many ways to the improvement of life in the community.

Although Millar was born in Helensburgh, his family had long connections with Tighnabruaich on the Kyles of Bute in Argyllshire. He was the last of his family to live in the imposing William Leiper-designed Tighnabruaich House, which overlooks the Kyles of Bute.

The family for many years had a successful tannery business in Glasgow. Millar firstly attended Larchfield preparatory school in Helensburgh and then went to Strathallan School in Perthshire. He then read history at Queen’s University, Belfast and developed a keen interest in archaeology.

After graduating in 1957 he joined the army, initially for national service, but he enjoyed the military life so much he made it his career. He was transferred to the RAEC and remained in officers’ education with the regiment, giving devoted service to furthering education in the military. Millar spent much of his time at Camberley but also saw service in the Outer Hebrides, Germany, Cyprus (where he covered Oman), Edinburgh, Wiltshire and Northern Ireland. On the last tour of duty he was involved in vetting members of the Ulster Defence Regiment on its formation to screen out extremists.

Latterly, he worked for the Open University. Millar was always keen to widen his own knowledge and furthered his studies at Edinburgh University in adult education, Cambridge and King’s College London. Millar maintained two lifelong interests. From his youth he had a deep love of the sea and as a boy had enjoyed sailing off the west coast of Scotland in the family’s motor cruisers. He was also an avid gardener, particularly of vegetables. In his retirement he created in Wiltshire a market garden with hens and brewed his own wine.

When he and his wife, Mary, returned to live in Tighnabruaich in 1992 Millar spent many happy hours sailing in his boat Ciamara. He was devoted to the area and contributed in many ways to its improvement. Millar became a stalwart of the local community council and was a founder of, and then a major supporter of, the Probus Club. He was its efficient secretary and then chairman, and was instrumental in gathering, and then publishing, the memories and reminiscences of some of the older members of the club, thereby preserving valuable written evidence and recollections of social and economic conditions of former times.

Millar also wrote a detailed history of Tighnabruaich – The Kyles and the Sea – which captured fascinating aspects of the Kyles of Bute’s maritime development and history. Millar acted as secretary of the Tighnabruaich Pier Association, which maintained his interest in the historic pier and the Clyde’s paddle steamers – subjects on which he had a wide interest and knowledge. All the proceeds from the sale of the book were donated to the Tighnabruaich Pier Association.

Millar married Mary in 1960 while he was on a tour of duty in Northern Ireland. They enjoyed a happy and long marriage. She and their two sons and a daughter survive him.

Alasdair Steven