Dalrymple was born on 9 October 1906 at
Stair, East Ayrshire, Scotland. He was the eldest son of
John Dalrymple, 12th Earl of Stair and Violet Evelyn Harford. His elder sister was
Lady Jean Rankin, and his younger siblings were Lady Marion Violet Dalrymple, Capt. Hon. Hew North Dalrymple, Hon. Andrew William Henry Dalrymple (a founder of
Chilton Aircraft), and Maj. Hon. Colin James Dalrymple. ==Career==