Australia Capital Territory and Papua New Guinea. In 1997, John Gowans was promoted to commissioner and took command of the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland. On 15 May 1999, Gowans was elected the 16th General of The Salvation Army and took office on 23 July 1999, with Commissioner Gisèle Gowans as World President of Women's Organisations. When Gowans retired in 2002, his earlier musical partner John Larsson succeeded him as the next international leader of The Salvation Army. Death Gowans died on 8 December 2012. His funeral service took place at the William Booth Memorial Buildings, Denmark Hill, London on Friday 14 December 2012. References External links Salvation Army biography THE GOWANS & LARSSON MUSICALS WEBSITE Scottish composers Composers of Christian music 1934 births 2012 deaths Salvation Army officers Scottish Salvationists Royal Army Educational Corps soldiers Scottish Protestant hymnwriters People from Blantyre, South Lanarkshire 20th-century British Army personnel Scottish Protestant ministers and clergy