Andrew Todd
The death has occurred at Potters Bar, Hertfordshire of Andrew Slidders Todd, one of the many World War II servicemen who contributed to the anthologies published by the Salamander Oasis Trust.
Born in Dundee and educated at the Morgan Academy there, Andrew Todd was called-up for army service in 1939, and trained as a private soldier with The Black Watch in Perth.
Sent for officer-training he was commissioned in the Seaforth Highlanders and joined this regiment's regular 2nd Battalion in 1940. He served with the 2nd Seaforths in the famous 51st Highland Division from Alamein to the crossing of the Rhine and Victory in Europe.
Major Andrew Todd, as he eventually became, was first Signals Officer, then Adjutant, and finally a Company Commander. He fought in almost every battle from that first victory at El Alamein, across the Western Desert to Tunisia. He then served in Sicily and Italy, before his battalion returned to Britain to train for D-Day and Normandy. Andrew Todd was twice wounded and twice Mentioned in Despatches.
After demobilisation in 1946, he joined the British Broadcasting Corporation as a sub-editor in the overseas newsroom, before moving to BBC Television News, where he eventually became its Editor. In nearly 30 years with the BBC, he rose to be the Deputy Director of News and Current Affairs, and spent his final year as Controller of the BBC in Scotland.
Andrew Todd wrote the wartime history of his Seaforth battalion - The Elephant at War (1939-1945). Journalist, writer, scratch golf player - and poet - he died aged 85. His wife Marjory pre-deceased him, but he is survived by his sons Bruce and Iain, and two grand-daughters. His was a long life, well and fully lived.
Two poems by Andrew Todd are reproduced here.