Founding Officer and Honorary Lieutenant Colonel
John Forbes Michie was one of the original officers of the Regiment who served as Officer Commanding D Company from 19-Feb-1892. He served to 1928, retiring as a Colonel. Col Michie, who had been one of the foremost instigators of the movement for the formation of the Regiment, and who had always stood staunchly behind its steady growth. He acted as Paymaster during the war and in the trying period of reorganization afterwards. Perhaps he should be called the Treasurer. When funds were needed by the new battalions, for Christmas gifts for the 15th Battalion, and for countless other expenditures, they were always forthcoming no matter what the condition of the exchequer. His wise counsel is still eagerly sought and highly valued in all matters of moment to the Regiment. He served as Honorary Lieutenant Colonel from 1939 to 1947.
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John Forbes Michie was born 13/03/1867 at Forbes Lodge, Parish of Strathdon, County of Aberdeen, Scotland. His parents were recorded as John Forbes Michie, Gamekeeper, and Jane nee Symon who had married 02/05/1856 in the Parish of Strathdon. (Statutory registers Births 240/ 10).
His birth is sometimes recorded as being in the Parish of Tarland. This is because Forbes Lodge although geographically in Strathdon, was for a period ecclesiastically in a disjoined part of that parish that sat between Strathdon and Corgarff. His birth was certainly registered in the Parish of Strathdon which was convention for that disjoined district by then.
The 1871 Census of Scotland records the 4 year old John Forbes Michie jnr. at the farm of Belnaboth in the Parish of Strathdon. His mother Jane Symon was the daughter of James Symon late Schoolmaster of Corgarff School. His father, also John Forbes Michie, was baptised in 1820 at Wester Corryhoul, Corgarff, Parish of Strathdon.