Victor Morven Fortune
Victor Morven Fortune was the son of J Fortune of Bengairn, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire. He was commissioned in the Black Watch on 19 December 1903. His pre-war military career was uneventful. In August 1914, after almost eleven years service, he was a lieutenant in ‘A’ Company, 1st Battalion Black Watch, which went to war with the original BEF as part of 1st Brigade, 1st Division. Fortune spent the entire war on the Western Front. He was Adjutant, 1st Black Watch, from November 1914 until September 1915, when he became Brigade Major, 1st Brigade, a post he held for a year, winning a DSO. On 16 September 1916 he found himself in command of his battalion. He was 33.
He commanded 1st Black Watch until 16 January 1918. This was a long period of command in the conditions of trench warfare and his next appointment looks suspiciously like a rest. He was Commandant Fourth Army Musketry School from 18 January until 27 June 1918, but on the following day was promoted brigadier-general and given command of 46th Brigade in 15th (Scottish) Division. He commanded it for the rest of the war.
Fortune’s regimental rank at the end of the war was captain (brevet major). After the responsibilities and excitement of the war’s final phase, it was back to the realities of peacetime promotion. After appointments as CO 8th Black Watch (April-July 1919) and Commandant School of Musketry (July-November 1919), he passed Staff College in 1920. He was OC Cadet Company RMA (1921-3) and Assistant Commandant Small Arms School (1923-25) before once more commanding a battalion, this time 1st Seaforth Highlanders on 10 January 1927. He was still only 44.
After a two-year tour with the Seaforths, Fortune became GSO1 5th Division (1930-2), commander 5th Infantry Brigade 1932-5), T/GOC 52nd (Lowland) Division (1935-6), GIC SW Area (1937-8) and, finally, GOC 51st (Highland) Division (3 January 1938). In 1939 he once more went to war with the BEF, but was captured - along with his division - at St Valery on 14 June 1940.
He spent the rest of the war as a pow. He was knighted in 1945.