Sir Mohinder Dhillon: Terry Gallacher – Loss of a friend and brother

by Terry Gallacher on October 9, 2014

Terry would always live in our hearts. As a person one can’t find a better friend. I lived in London for a while and Terry helped in many ways, bought me friends car, advised me in buying a house overnight. Professionally, Terry Gallacher was a legend and he leaves a legacy behind which we all including Gallacher family are proud to share. He was Guru of history of cinema newsreel and TV news. Later as Head of the Commercial Production department of Worldwide TV News (WTN – formerly UPITN). Terry had cameramen friends in every major city of the world. I had the pleasure of hosting Terry in my home every year during Easter when the Safari Rally documentaries were planned. One year he wrote about the Safari Rally in Royal Photographic Society magazine with my picture of rally car blowing dust cloud on the cover. During long planning sessions in my home my late wife Ambi Dhillon delighted everyone with her delicious Indian curry dishes and starters washed down with famous Kenyan ‘Tusker’ beer.

Paul Badin and Terry Gallacher

At the briefing, the team were allocated positions in different parts of the country, Terry even thought of fall-back position in case a tough section was closed due to impossible muddy roads with black cotton soil. He would plan to send fuel for helicopter in various area to keep the chopper in the air. Apart from my Africapix teams Terry re-enforced the coverage with two French team members Jacques Hubinet from Marseilles and Paul Badin who was expert in helicopter aerial filming. Another regular team member was stills photographer Ken Watanabe shooting photos for Nissan motors as we made a film for Nissan. As I spoke many languages Terry would send me to places like Rwanda one of the poorest countries in Africa for Kuwait Fund who helped to boost agriculture and to remote mountains of Yemen for World Bank who funded the building of a dam there, Saudi King Visiting Sudan trying to turn Sudan into bread basket for Arabian countries. Terry had an Arab assistant Yassar Durra to service oil rich Arab countries like Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and others. Terry and Yassar kept many camera teams like my Africapix teams busy. With his charming way of doing business it was a pleasure dealing with dear Terry. Go well my friend and brother. Sorrowfully, Sir Mohinder Dhillon Nairobi.