Once upon a time, SFC was one. Then it was a shared name with different purposes. This was all down to one man. On Tuesday we lost that man. Mac McCubbin was the founder of Quadrant 2. Through his efforts, passion and drive he created the founcations ofd why we’re alll here. He was the progenitor of what we would become. And for everything we’ve gained, built and achieved, it all came down to one man and one decision. To quote our own great sage….
A moments silence please for Fleet Admiral (retd) Mac McCubbin
Mac passed away suddenly on Tuesday afternoon. To those of us who’ve been in SFC a long time, Mac was a legend. He was also one of my oldest and best friends.
It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that SFCQ2 wouldn’t exist without Mac. He’d joined an international Trek club based in America in the 80s. UK members (or Foreign Members as they referred to us) were getting a crap deal. So while on business in the US, Mac took a diversion to a convention, met the Admiralty of SFC and *drumroll* Quadrant 2 was born. He was the first Director of Operations and first Chief of Staff Q2.
We met shortly after I moved to London and I transferred from a Glasgow based SFC Unit to the London Unit. We became friends over a mutual love of alcohol, swearing, inappropriate humour, mocking the afflicted, roleplaying games and curry. Oh and Star Trek. By a bizarre twist of fate, we were both crippled in the same week in 70s. He taught me never to scrimp the pennies when buying decent alcohol – even though his preferred whisky was Famous Grouse
Mac was a Lieutenant in the Gordon Highlanders. He was a raconteur, a scholar, a mensch, a gentleman and a damn fine friend.
Those of us who knew him will not be surprised to know that he died during a thunderstorm.
Sleep well Skipper
Scott Arlow, Chief of Staff SFCQ2
Barely any of us in the modern fleet knew Mac. However, that was to our detriment. He was the core of why we’re all here. He laid the brickwork to what we created now. And he helped craft an enviroment that brought us all together.
To Mac. May he never be forgotten.