A ‘true gentleman’ war veteran who helped found the Association of British Muslims has died aged 78

Tributes were paid to a ‘true gentleman’ and a Swansea military veteran who died of cancer.

David Rosser-Owen, who was 78, has been described as an important figure in the history of post-war Islam in Britain, having converted to the religion almost 60 years ago.

Born in Swansea in 1943 to a Welsh-Scottish family, Mr Rosser-Owen grew up as a devout Christian, attending St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church of Wales at St Helen’s Road, which would later become the Mosque of Swansea. Get all of our latest Swansea stories here

Read more: Ospreys player Ifan Phillips suffers life-changing injuries in serious motorcycle crash

As a teenager he moved to Shrewsbury and, after completing his studies, joined the military and was sent to the Far Eastern Land Forces in Singapore. He had a distinguished military career in the British Army, reaching the rank of captain, and served in Brunei, Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia.

Mr. Rosser-Owen, a talented linguist who spoke French, German, Malay-Indonesian and studied Arabic and Malay at the University of London, worked as a writer, journalist and editor for Islamic World Review, the Islamic World Defense magazine, Arabia, Armada International, and later for Q-News International. He was also a war correspondent and stringer for the New Straits Times during the Bosnian Croatian War between 1992 and 1995 and served as a military adviser to the Bosnian government.

In terms of community activism, Mr. Rosser-Owen has been described as a vital link between the generations of pre-war and post-war converts to Islam. Along with others he established the Association of British Muslims in 1976. He was also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Journalists, a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and a proud Freeman of the city. from Swansea.

He had been treated for cancer and died Sunday, December 5 in a hospital on the island of Islay where he had later lived. His funeral will be held at Swansea Central Mosque after the zuhr prayers (around 12:30 p.m.) on Monday, December 13. A funeral will then be held at Danygraig Cemetery, Port Tennant, Swansea.

In paying tribute to him, Mr. Rosser-Owen’s family said: “It has been so wonderful to read all the tributes that are pouring in about David. Most remember him as a true gentleman, a man of solid principles and someone to enjoy a good conversation with.

“It seems very appropriate to let him rest in Swansea and have his funeral take place in the old church he attended as a child.”

To get the latest WalesOnline newsletters which are sent directly to you free of charge click here.