The Wychwood June 2011

www.thewychwood.co.uk 37

David K.M. Innes-Wilson

1941-2011

David was born in

1941 in Peshawar in

India, now Pakistan,

where his father was

serving with the

Royal Engineers. He

returned to the U.K.

with his mother

when he was six to begin his schooling,

his father remaining

behind as Surveyor

General of Pakistan

during Partition.

He was educated at

Marlborough

College and recently

enjoyed a fiftieth

year reunion with the boys in his old

house at school.

He went on to study Classics at St.

Andrew’s University then followed the

family tradition by joining the King’s

Own Scottish Borderers, with whom an

ancestor had fought at the famous battle

of Minden in 1759. Minden was one of

his given names and indeed he was

always known as Minden in his regiment.

In 1969 he married Carolyn whom he met

whilst serving in Germany, where she was then teaching.

Army life suited David well and his

various postings took him around the

world as well as a number of years spent

in Scotland. On leaving the Army he

joined a London-based charity,

U.K.Skills, dedicated to helping young

people in trades and industries to develop

their skills through competitions held

world-wide, called the Skills Olympics.

Settling in Shipton in 1992 David was

keen to involve himself

in local activities. He

was a Local History

Society committee

member, worked for

the Officers’

Association and was

West Oxfordshire

representative of Crimestoppers. In 2004

he became Treasurer of

St. Mary’s in Shipton

and Benefice Treasurer,

working throughout his

long illness.

David enjoyed village

life and supported

many fund-raising

events; at the Shipton village fete he was

usually to be found helping to man the bookstall. Both times he was able to travel

to Lords to watch Shipton C.C. play in the

Village Cricket finals.

He played golf regularly and was a

member of the Wychwood Golf Club. He

also read avidly and always had a

crossword to solve.

He and Carolyn were happily married for

forty-one years and the family gathered

together to celebrate his seventieth

birthday.

Many people wrote to Carolyn after his

death mentioning his unfailing courtesy,

kindness and wry sense of humour. He

bore his illness with courage and quiet

dignity, an old-fashioned true gentleman.

He will be greatly missed by Carolyn, son

Christopher, daughter Elizabeth and his

two grandsons and also by his many

friends.

Written by Carolyn Innes-Wilson