Iain MacLean 1923 – 2009

October 21st, 2010 by JCB
Posted in Obituaries | No Comments »

Iain MacLean died in Edinburgh last December after a long period in hospital. Born in Edinburgh and educated at George Heriot’s School, where he was a “foundationer”, Iain went straight from day school to sea as a cadet in 1939 and he served all his service at sea with Christian Salvesen of Leith. Serving during the whole of World War 2 he had a remarkable escape when he declined to join a ship which was subsequently torpedoed and sunk with the loss of all hands. His wartime voyages took him on Atlantic convoys and then to the Mediterranean in support of the allied landings in Italy. After the war Iain spent five seasons with the South Georgia whaling fleet as Master of the Southern Harvester and Southern Opal following which he served as Master on the Glitra running between the Forth and Norway.

SS Glitra (1952) From MN Nostalgia website courtesy A. J. Barratt

In 1963 Iain became licensed as a Leith pilot where he served until retirement in 1988 when his 65th birthday conveniently coincided with the enactment of the 1987 Pilotage Act. Iain suffered a double personal tragedy in 2005 when his younger son died and shortly afterwards his childhood sweetheart and wife of 60 years also passed away. He is survived by his eldest son and two grand children.

Malcolm M. Rose : Forth pilot (retired 1993)