Chelsea Pensioners' charity donation in memory of former Caithness Lord-Lieutenant
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Two brothers who are Chelsea Pensioners have made a £500 donation to an armed forces charity in memory of the late Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness, Anne Dunnett.
David Lyall (91) and his brother Tom (86) are Englishmen born and bred but have strong family connections to Caithness and a great love for the county.
Their gesture will help the local work of SSAFA, the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association.
Miss Dunnett, from Wick, served as Lord-Lieutenant for 13 years. She died in December, aged 81.
David and Tom, now living in the Royal Hospital Chelsea as Chelsea Pensioners, were deeply saddened to learn that Miss Dunnett had passed away. Their father, Donald Lyall from Wick, settled in England after service in World War I and David and Tom were born in London in the 1930s.
The family moved to Cheltenham in Gloucestershire in 1941. Both brothers having done national service in the army, they found themselves back in London in 2012 after some 50 years in civilian occupations.
Miss Dunnett – who had a keen interest in family history – got in touch with them after establishing a connection through an aunt by marriage. They were able to meet her when she spent a night at Gatwick, and they corresponded regularly.
When Miss Dunnett retired from the lieutenancy in 2017 her local sea cadets invited David and Tom, with their younger brother Andrew, to attend her final church parade in Wick – keeping it a secret from her as a surprise. It worked well, with Andrew opening the door of a hired Model T Ford and David and Tom greeting her in their scarlet uniforms, to her enormous surprise.
Also attending was Major General Patrick Marriott, now Lord-Lieutenant of Sutherland and honorary president of SSAFA Caithness and Sutherland. Andrew did not survive the pandemic but David and Tom have donated £500 to the Caithness and Sutherland branch of the charity in Miss Dunnett’s memory.
David said: "Tom and I very much wanted to mark our respect for Anne Dunnett, and our regard for Caithness, by making this donation in her name. We are glad that our contribution will give local benefit in a very practical way by helping the local ex-service community."
Major General Marriott said: "Anne Dunnett was, as Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness, the president of the county branch of SSAFA. A donation to the local branch of SSAFA in her name is a very kind and fitting tribute, and it will be put to good use in helping needy ex-service people in the local area.
"Anne was a first-rate and very active Lord-Lieutenant and a great supporter of the armed forces, and I feel sure that she would have been delighted at this donation in her memory."
Anyone willing to support the Caithness and Sutherland branch of SSAFA, by volunteering or in some other way, or in need of SSAFA’s help, can get in touch by emailing Sutherland.Branch@ssafa.org.uk or calling 07585 030742.
Paying tribute to Miss Dunnett at the time of her death, the present Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness, Lord Thurso, said she had been "right at the centre of Caithness community life" throughout her time in the role.
Miss Dunnett, who ran her own legal firm for many years, was made a CVO – Commander of the Royal Victorian Order – when she turned 75 and retired as Lord-Lieutenant.
