John Swinton of Kimmerghame
British Army officer (1925–2018)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Major-General Sir John Swinton of Kimmerghame, KCVO, OBE, DL (21 April 1925 – 4 October 2018) was a British Army officer who served as Major-General commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District from 1976 until his retirement in 1979. He was the father of actress Tilda Swinton.
Major-General Sir John Swinton of Kimmerghame | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 April 1925 |
| Died | 4 October 2018 (aged 93) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Service years | 1944–1979 |
Rank | Major-General |
| Commands | London District Household Division |
Conflicts | Second World War Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire Mentioned in Despatches |
| Spouse |
Judith Balfour Killen
(m. 1954; died 2012) |
| Relations | Archibald Campbell Swinton (great-grandfather) James Rannie Swinton (great-granduncle) George Swinton (grandfather) Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton (granduncle) Tilda Swinton (daughter) Honor Swinton Byrne (granddaughter) |
Early life
Swinton was the son of Brigadier Alan Henry Campbell Swinton of Kimmerghame[1][2][3][4][5][6] and his wife, Mariora Beatrice Evelyn Rochfort Alers-Hankey. A member of the Swinton family, his paternal grandfather was Scottish politician and officer-of-arms George Swinton.[5] He was educated at Harrow School, London.[7]
Military career
Swinton was commissioned into the Scots Guards on 24 March 1944,[8] and was twice wounded towards the end of the Second World War.[9] He was promoted to lieutenant on 8 November 1947.[10] He served in Malaya during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and was mentioned in despatches.[11] Swinton was promoted to captain on 21 April 1952.[12] Between 1953 and 1954, he was aide-de-camp to Field Marshal Sir William Slim, governor-general of Australia.[13]
Swinton was successively promoted to major on 21 April 1959,[14] to lieutenant colonel on 1 April 1966,[15] commanding the Scots Guards (1970–71), to full colonel on 30 June 1970, and to brigadier on 31 December 1971.[16][17] He was promoted to major general and appointed Major-General commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District in 1976.[18] In 1977, he was appointed Brigadier of the Queen's Body Guard for Scotland (The Royal Company of Archers).[13] He retired from the army in 1979.[19]
In 1980, Swinton became a deputy lieutenant for Berwickshire,[20] and went on to be Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire from 1989 to 2000,[21] escorting the Stone of Scone back to Scotland in 1996.[9]
Personal life
Swinton married the Australian-born Judith Balfour Killen (1929–2012) on 26 August 1954; they had three sons – James Christopher Swinton, Alexander Harold Swinton, and Lieutenant Colonel William Henry Swinton – and one daughter, actress Tilda Swinton.[1]
As the laird of Kimmerghame, Swinton lived at Kimmerghame House in Duns in Berwickshire.[1][22] He died there on 4 October 2018 at the age of 93.[23]