Other information:

Aged 21, and returning to his ‘proper job’ in journalism after National Service, Donald saw an advert for short service commissions in the Royal Navy. After a year at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, the RAF found that he was not cut out for naval aviation. He then managed to secure a position with the Commonwealth Relations Office in Whitehall.

His first posting was to The British High Commission in Sierra Leone, West Africa, known as the “Whiteman’s Grave”, where he met, and eventually married, the daughter of an American diplomat.  He tried to teach her to sail in a GP 14 but the second and last lesson was mainly shouted from the wake after the toe strap broke and he went over the side. Thereafter she rarely went onboard another boat and then only when it was alongside!  There followed several interesting postings while their two sons were small, but while on holiday with all the family in Florida, his wife died.

His last diplomatic posting was to the British High Commission in New Delhi from where he retired to Mylor Bridge in 1997.  He bought his Contessa 32 “Bonnie R”, named after his late wife, in 1998 and has cruised her, mainly single handed, until 2009. His final boat was a Westerly Fulmar renamed “Bonnie R”.