[3] He served on the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable,[4] with which he saw active service in the Arctic, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean between 1941 and 1944.
[6] Promoted to captain on 15 June 1949,[7] Gourlay was mentioned in despatches in January 1957 "for distinguished services in operations against terrorists in Cyprus".
[8] In the Queen's Birthday Honours that year, he was also appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire "in recognition of distinguished services in the Operations in the Near East, October To December, 1956".
[12] Gourlay was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1973 Birthday Honours,[13] and retired from the Royal Marines on 9 June 1975.
[15] He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1990 New Year Honours in recognition of his services in the role.