David Stirling Memorial -- Founder Of The . (Please Read Info)

Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling DSO OBE (15 November, 1915 - 4 November, 1990) was a Scottish laird, mountaineer, World War II British Army officer, and the founder of the Special Air Service. Stirling was born at his family’s ancestral home, Keir House in the parish of Lecropt in Perthshire (near Stirling). He was the son of Brigadier General Archibald Stirling of Keir and Margaret Fraser, daughter of Simon Fraser, the Lord Lovat (a descendant from King Charles II of Great Britain). His cousin was Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat. He was educated at Ampleforth College and Trinity College, Cambridge. A tall and athletic figure (he was 6 feet 6 inches ( m)] tall), he was training to climb Mount Everest when World War II broke out. In 1941 Lieutenant David Stirling and Lieutenant Jock Lewis gathered a small unit of 66 volunteers. This unit was named the L. Detachment of the Special Air Service Brigade. The main objective of this group was to conduct raids against the lines of communica