JOHN GUNN died peacefully aged 86. He had wide interests, considerable achievements in industry and an outstanding record of gallantry in the Second World War as an officer in the Seaforth Highlanders.

Before the outbreak of hostilities, he joined the Territorial Army, enlisting in the 2nd Battalion Glasgow Highlanders, The Highland Light Infantry. Thus began a long association with the timbermen from Robinson Dunn & Company Ltd, many of whom served in that regiment, notably commanding officer Tom Robinson.

In 1941 he was commissioned and posted to Burma to train in jungle warfare with the Seaforth Highlanders, the regiment that drew its men from Caithness, the birthplace of John's forebears.

In July 1943, he was in the Chin Hills area of Northern Burma, in action against a Japanese gun battery. As a lieutenant, he led a section of 12 Seaforth Highlanders on an attack through dense jungle on an enemy garrison of 200 men by crossing the wire in the rear of the enemy position.

The Seaforths had barely occupied the position when they were attacked by a bayonet charge. This, and two subsequent attacks they repelled but, when the enemy began to infiltrate the Highlanders, Gunn and his men fought their way out. In the action, 46 enemy soldiers were left for dead and two Seaforths were killed and two wounded. He wrote at the time that it gave him a thrill to hear on the wireless in India, news of his exploit, for which he was awarded the Military Cross. Lord Louis Mountbatten decorated him in the field.

On May 29, 1944, he again found himself just yards away from the enemy. The action took place on the 5009ft-high Scraggy Hill, to the south-east of Imphal Plain. The forward company of the Seaforths had tried to erect wire to strengthen their position but a hail of grenades met them and, although the Jocks returned to their trenches, they sustained heavy casualties. The front trench was emptied of men three times but John Gunn controlled the situation until he fell, severely wounded when hit for the fifth time, while fending off a grenade that was falling into a trench full of men.

The engagement lasted an hour. Twenty-seven men were wounded and three killed. Gunn had been left for dead when a small movement was seen. 2nd Lieutenant Iain Mathieson, bravely went up the hill and, putting John on his back, crawled to safety.

The Jocks, always in awe of John's seemingly reckless courage, said to Iain: "Don't bring him back in here, sir, he'll get us all killed."

For the remainder of his life, when John Gunn was thought to be making a nuisance of himself, he would say: "Don't blame me, blame Iain Mathieson."

For this action, John received a bar to his Military Cross. Some wondered why Iain Mathieson's courage never received any recognition. His reward, however, was to remain one of John's closest friends for the rest of his life.

After a long period of recuperation, Gunn was demobbed technically disabled. He was awarded a war disability pension of GBP100 per year, which he refused. John regarded himself as fit despite having shrapnel removed from his body 40 years later.

John Gunn was born in 1918 in a schoolhouse on Skye where his grandfather, Hugh Budge, was schoolmaster. His mother, Susan Budge, was a nurse who returned to the island to give birth as her husband was away in the Army.

When John was five, his mother died and, as his father travelled a great deal in the wool trade, he settled John and his sister, Christina, with two aunts in Glasgow where they were brought up in loving homes. John attended Shawlands Academy in Glasgow and won a scholarship to Allan Glen's.

When he left the Army, Tom Robinson, chairman of Robinson Dunn and Company Ltd, timber importers and merchants, and his one-time commanding officer, invited John to join his business.

Meantime, he joined the TA in 1948 as a major in the Glasgow Highlanders, followed his close friend, Noel Lewis, as commanding officer. On retirement from the TA, he was admitted as an officer of the Order of the British Empire in the NewYear's Honours List of 1967. He did, however, retain an interest in the regiment through membership of the Regimental Council. His service was also recognised by the award of the Territorial Decoration.

In 1969, John was appointed managing director of Thomson, Balfour & Co, a subsidiary of Robinson Dunn. He struck a friendship with Michael Paton, son of Sir Leonard Paton, chairman of Harrisons & Crosfield plc and the Sabah Timber Company Ltd. This led to the purchase of Robinson Dunn by Sabah Timber. John remained on the board of Sabah Timber (Scotland) Ltd until his retirement in 1984.

In trade circles John was a popular figure and was due to become president of the Scottish Timber Merchants and Sawmillers' Association in the year of his retirement. His friendly, open manner and sense of humour won him respect and many friends on the trade unions as well as the employers' side of the table.

He was an elder of St Andrew's West Church in Falkirk for more than 50 years. His wife, a gifted musician, also served the church for many years as organist and choirmistress.

He served as chairman of the Royal British Legion Committee responsible for the sheltered housing at Bannockburn, was on the committee of the Burma StarAssociation and was much involved with Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen Families Association.

Being a staunch member of the Clan Gunn, John had an abiding interest in the Gunn Museum nearWick. He was a generous patron.

In 1955 he married Miriam Lucas, a farmer's daughter from Somerset. Despite complaining that he lived "under petticoat rule", he loved and admired her so much that it was his life-long wish to be buried beside the church in Somerset in which they were married.

It was fitting that the last two people to see him on the day he died were Iain Mathieson and Miriam.