By Bill Heaney
Rear Admiral Alexander Michael Gregory, the recently retired Lord-Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire, has been made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Rear Admiral Alexander Michael Gregory CVO OBE (born 15 December 1945) is a former Royal Navy officer who became Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland.
Gregory joined the Royal Navy in 1964. After commanding three submarines, he became captain of the frigate HMS Cumberland in 1988. Then after a tour as Assistant Director of Naval Staff Duties in the Ministry of Defence, he was made naval attaché in Washington D. C. in 1994 and Flag Officer, Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland in 1997 before retiring in 2000.
In retirement he was made chief executive of the Mechanical and Metal Trades Confederation and then Chief Executive of the Energy Industries Council.
He also became Lord Lieutenant of Dunbartonshire, where he carried out his duties making speeches and handing out awards to members of the community. He lives in Gartocharn on Loch Lomondside.
One of these awards was given to Georgie Duncan who ran the Beanfeast Cafe at Dumbarton Sheriff and High Courts and made many thousands of pounds for charities, including Robin House, the children’s hospice run by CHAS in Balloch.
A whole group of people doing good work for charity in Dunbartonshire were presented with Empire medals by Admiral Gregory who welcomed members of the royal family to the county from time to time.
And oh how this benevolent, most benevolent of individuals played his part in Dumbarton and environs alleviating fuel poverty, helping to lift the area from so many of the bottom social rungs in which it sits.
And doesn’t he look fine in his finery and his medals at his Empire Medal Ceremony in 2018 attended by the great and the good provost, or is it deputy provost, equally resplendent in gold chain.
We certainly know how to genuflect – and maybe a few Empire medals for our councillor .before they go. We certainly know how to do lickspittle and we need to give reward, where reward is due.