Tartan Day is Wednesday April 6^th! Please try to wear a swatch, tie, or even kilt of Colquhoun Tartan on this day. There are celebrations all over the US and Canada all that week including a Parade in NYC on April 2^nd. April 6^th was selected because Scotland’s “Declaration of Independence” the Declaration of Arbroath was issued on April 6th, 1320 at the Arbroath Abbey in Scotland.

Welcome To Our New England Representatives! Corey and Laura Gilpatrick of Falmouth, Maine manned tents for us at the Maine and New Hampshire festivals last year, and we’re looking forward to this year! They were assisted by Lois Seamon of ME who has represented us in the past.

President Gets Married! James H. Kilpatrick, Jr. FSA (Scot) and Becky Buxton were married on 19 June 2004. They honeymooned in Scotland!

Ronald G. Calhoun was featured in a recent article in The Savannah Morning News. Ronald is dean of studies at a downtown Savannah school that works with church musicians, The School of Church Music. He also serves as music director of First Presbyterian Church in Hinesville. Ronald was featured because he wrote a hymn inspired by the tsunami disaster last December.

Flowers Of The Forest: Harry B. Avery of Alexandria, VA passed away on 4 January 2005 at his home. A memorial service was held on 5 February at which many people spoke. Harry had set up many Colquhoun tents at games all over the US especially in the Mid Atlantic area. Harry had a fantastic set up at his tents including vials of soil from the banks of Loch Lomond; custom made shirts, hats, license plates, magnetic stickers with crest images; and a "Scottish tent air conditioner": a 12 volt fan from an RV.

Harry with Jane Kirkpatrick Halliley at the 1996 Richmond Games and a small part of what Harry’s table looked like.

Leslie Robert Colquhoun was a photographic reconnaissance pilot with No 69 squadron during WWII. His daring coverage of Axis positions in southern Italy and Libya contributed significantly to the survival of Malta and his contribution to the preparations for the 1944 landings in the south of France was recognized with the award of the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross). Flight Lieutenant Colquhoun first came to our attention a few years ago when British Pathe newsreels developed an internet site. We were able to find a few newsreels of Sir Iain and Lady Colquhoun plus a couple of Les Colquhoun flying during WWII. We weren’t able to discover much about him until now. Leslie Robert Colquhoun was born on March 15 1921, at Hanwell, Middlesex, and educated in Ealing. In 1941, Colquhoun had being flying fighter sweeps over northern France when he was detailed to deliver a photographic reconnaissance Spitfire to Cairo. During a stopover in Malta it became apparent that the situation there was desperate. He and his Spitfire were seconded to No 69 Squadron. So hard pressed were the island's defenders that for a while the squadron was comprised of only Colquhoun and one other pilot. For nine months during 1941 and 1942, Colquhoun piloted an unarmed and unescorted pale blue Spitfire out of Malta, flying over Italy and assessing the enemy's position. Traveling at great speed and using considerable guile, he would continuously outmaneuver the enemy before landing back at Luqa with his anxiously awaited photographs. Sergeant Colquhoun was awarded the DFM (Distinguished Flying Medal) and commissioned as an officer. After the war he continued to fly and was appointed operations manager of Hoverlloyd in 1966, later becoming managing director and operating the company's car ferry between Ramsgate and Calais. After Seaspeed took over Hoverlloyd, Colquhoun ran the company's jetfoil service to Dieppe. He died at age 80 on 19 July 2001 and was survived by his wife Katie, whom he married in 1946, and by their four daughters. Special thanks to Stephen Hill of Aviation Collectables who knew Les Colquhoun and was able to direct us to the information used in this article.

Larry Calhoun of Glasgow, KY is involved in a Y-DNA Calhoun project. The project can be seen at www.familytreedna.com under “Calhoun”. Larry can be reached through the Society. The Calhoun Project’s goal is “to find common Calhoun ancestors, through Y-DNA test results, because traditional paper research has met a dead end.” Only males can send off for the project test, it’s recommended that interested females look for a brother or cousin to test.

Welcome to new member Keith Calhoun who runs an import shop at 555 W. High St. #101, New Philadelphia, OH 44663 {303-339-4214} www.colquhounimports.com