Andrew Forrest, who grew up amid the grandeur of imperial Burma, went on to sail the world as a sea captain, and later made his home on Deeside, has died aged 89.
Andrew and his brother John were evacuated from the former British territory before the Japanese invasion and spent much of the war in Glasgow.
His father, William Forrest, had been chief engineer with the Burma Oil Company.
When the Japanese invaded, William torched the family’s home, complete with all belongings, as well as several oil wells, and led party of expats across the mountains to safety on elephants.
During the war, Andrew was educated in Bishopbriggs and had hopes of joining the RAF but his eyesight did not allow it.
Career path
Instead, he joined Ellerman Lines as a navigational officer and over the years, worked his way to become a captain.
In the early 1960s he met his future wife, Margaret, at a wedding he was attending and she was singing at.
The couple married in August 1962 and went on to have two children, Blair and Seona.
Over many years he travelled to almost every country in the world with the exception of New Zealand and the South American countries.
He later had a spell based in Canada and would expertly navigate the St Lawrence Seaway and the west coast around Vancouver.
In the late 1970s, when the cargo industry began to falter, Andrew was made redundant.
Nigeria
He later secured employment with the Nigerian National Shipping Company. His work involved transporting cattle to World Health Organisation projects designed to improve the Nigerian cattle industry.
Andrew later skippered standby vessels in the North Sea for companies including North Star Shipping and Nomis Shipping.
The family enjoyed many holidays at Potarch and, in 1976, made Deeside their home when they moved to Torphins.
In 2000, Andrew retired from the merchant navy after 50 years’ service.
In retirement he played golf and bowls at Torphins and took up hobbies as diverse as rug making and building model houses. He also took a great interest in his son Blair’s hobbies of fishing and deer stalking.
Andrew was predeceased by his wife seven months ago. For the last seven years of his life, Andrew was a resident of Annesley Care Home, Torphins.