Andy McGrigor was known to almost all the officers of a certain vintage in the Regiment from his periods of service in four RGJ Battalions, as Adjutant at the Depot and later, in retirement, in Regimental Headquarters. He died on 10^th October 2025 aged 83. The description: tall, slim and blond, with a broad smile, made him sound like a poster boy, but in the nicest sense of the term, he was just that as a young officer serving as a subaltern in 2^nd Green Jackets in British Guiana, Penang and Borneo on a short service commission.

Andrew McGrigor, as the name implies, was from a distinguished Scottish family. His father was Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rhoderick McGrigor. The Royal Navy or some Highland regiment might have claimed him, but his grandfather, Major General Charles McGrigor, had had a distinguished career in the 60^th, so it was into the KRRC that Andy was commissioned in 1963 after school at Marlborough and a degree at St Andrew’s University.

His arrival in the Regiment in British Guiana, where 2 GJ were starting an emergency tour, endowed him with his lasting nickname. Flown hastily to his Company base in the jungle he had no time to unpack and arrived in travelling clothes and everything else crammed into a…. Kitbag. So “Kitbag” McGrigor he became and remained ever after.

He stayed with the Battalion when it became 2 RGJ on New Year’s day 1966, moving to 3 RGJ in September 1968 after a spell with a Cadet Training Team. A senior subaltern transferring to a regular commission would have been gratified to be appointed to be Adjutant at the Rifle Depot, as Andy was in September 1970. It was always a prestigious appointment, not least because newly minted officers, such as the writer, spent a period at the Depot after commissioning to learn, mainly at the hand of the Adjutant, the essentials of being a Green Jacket officer. Andy had an eye for detail which caught me out at this point. He spotted that the coat of my service dress, just unpacked from the tailor, was very slightly the wrong shade of khaki. It was with some difficulty that I prevented him from cutting off one of the front pockets to send back to the tailor with a complaint. Instead, he took a huge chunk of cloth from inside the coat. He probably forgot to send it off, but I had the shredded coat for the next 32 years being reminded each time I wore it of Andy’s smiling scissor attack in the drill sheds at Winchester.

A succession of regimental appointments followed; first as company commander in 1 RGJ, to the Depot again as Training Company Commander (1980), as Training Major of 4 RGJ (1983) and lastly Headquarters Company commander again at the Depot. These were interspersed with staff training and staff appointments in Headquarters 2^nd Division, The School of Infantry and MOD. In 1992 he was offered the chance to apply for redundancy. He did so successfully and left the Service the following year.

Having devoted so much or his time in uniform to the Regimental Depot and to regimental life generally, his retired officer’s post as Assistant Regimental Secretary at Winchester was a good fit. He served as Treasurer and was for many years editor of the RGJ Chronicle – neither a very easy task – but carried out with great stamina, calm authority and absolute straight dealing until his final retirement in 2007. Few can claim such longevity in the devoted service to the Regiment which he loved, and which loved him.

Andy married Victoria in 1971 and they have three children, Fiona, Alistair and Rosie. For their loss, the Regiment offers deepest condolences and for itself mourns the passing of one of its most loyal officers.

TRH-B

Address for letters:

Mrs Andrew McGrigor

Doves Cottage

Common Road

White Parish

Salisbury

SP5 2SU

There will be a thanksgiving service at All Saints Church, White Parish, SP5 2SU at 2 30pm on 21 November 2025.

Congratulations

Remembrance Day 2025

Obituary of Major Andrew David McGrigor KRRC/RGJ