Major-General Peter Leuchars - Telegraph Major-General Peter Leuchars, who has died aged 87, calculated that he had lost the nine "lives" more usually allotted to fortunate felines by September 1944, after his battalion had fought its way across France and Belgium. His first brush with death came in October 1943, two years after he had left Sandhurst and been commissioned into the Welsh Guards. As liaison officer to HQ 4th Guards Brigade at Malton, Yorkshire, he was equipped with a motorbicycle. One night, using dimmed, "wartime" headlights, he ran into a stray horse on the road and was badly injured. The next day, after a three-hour operation, his surgeon arrived with a bottle of champagne and told him that he had not been expected to survive. Leuchars's next scrape came when he took part in the Normandy landings as a platoon commander with the 1st Battalion (1 WG). After the battle for Cagny, he was digging a slit trench when a shell bounced in. It failed to explode. Half way through the subsequent battle for Le Bas Perrier, the radio broke down. Leuchars found a small dip in the ground and lay down in it to write a message to his HQ. Suddenly the air erupted with explosions and shell and mortars started falling just where he had been standing a few moments before. Later the same day, fire from a German tank passed over his head as he threw himself on the ground. An artillery shell then exploded a few feet in front of his jeep. In August, on the approaches to Douai, a caretaker of one of First World War cemeteries shouted encouragingly: "Plenty of room for you here!" The following month, near Hechtel, Belgium, Leuchars almost took up the offer when he was hit by friendly fire after ordering his platoon to clear a line of houses. Misidentifying him, one of Leuchars's section commanders fired a bullet which hit him in the chest. Instead of killing him, however, it shattered the revolver that he carried over his heart and exited through the fleshy part of his arm. Peter Raymond Leuchars was born in London on October 29 1921 and educated at Bradfield College where he was head of school and got his colours for cricket and football. After recovering from his wounds, in January 1945 he was posted to the 3rd Battalion at Greve, south of Florence, and finished the war on the Austrian border. He was mentioned in despatches. He accepted the offer of a regular commission and returned to 1 WG as adjutant in Palestine in 1946. He was, again, mentioned in despatches. Staff College followed and he was then appointed DAA & QMG at HQ 4th Guards Brigade before taking over as brigade major. In 1954, he rejoined 1 WG in Egypt before returning to Staff College as an instructor. Promoted lieutenant-colonel, in 1960 he was appointed military assistant to the C-in-C BAOR. Leuchars took command of 1 WG in 1963. The battalion was due to go to Aden in 1965 and his considerable operational experience ensured that the pre-deployment training was of a high order. He handed over a first rate unit. After an appointment as chief of staff to the director of operations in Borneo during the "Confrontation" with Indonesia, he commanded 11th Armoured Brigade in BAOR. A spell as deputy commandant of the Staff College was followed by promotion to major-general upon his appointment as GOC Wales. He retired from the Army in 1976 and from 1980 to 1989 was Chief Commander, St John Ambulance. He was colonel of the Royal Welch Fusiliers from 1974 to 1984. An excellent golfer – he was captain of Sunningdale Golf Club in 1975 – a keen shot and, in recent years, an accomplished photographer of birds, he also enjoyed travel. By the end of his life had visited more than 90 countries around the world. He was appointed CBE in 1966. Peter Leuchars died on July 17. He married, in 1953, Gillian Nivison, daughter of Lord Glendyne, who survives him with their son.
