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Squadron Leader "Robbie" Edwyn Roberts Head of RAF Jever 5352 Airfield Construction Branch detachment, 1954 - 56. |
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From the Eulogy at his Funeral The family have prepared a tribute to a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather whose passing will leave an enormous hole in their lives. They feel emotionally unable to deliver this themselves and have asked me to read it for them.Many of you will know Edwyn by another name Robbie from the RAF days and Ted from his working life.Edwyn's parents moved from North Wales to Sussex to farm and it was whilst they were there in 1929 that he was born. In 1933 they moved back to North Wales which was forever to be the most special place in the world for Edwyn. This is the place where he always had to have a home and latterly could not wait to get back to.Edwyn's education led him to Blaenau Ffestiniog Grammar School, here he excelled academically and at sport and also started many wonderful and lasting friendships that meant so much to him. Edwyn won a scholarship to Swansea University to study Civil Engineering and continued his passion for sport developing his love of rugby. It was early in his second year, 1948, that he met Ann and they fell deeply in love and this love will last forever.On finishing University Edwyn joined the RAF where he stayed for 11 years rising quickly to the rank of Squadron Leader of 5004 Airfield Construction Squadron. In April 1952 Ann and Edwyn married with the first of their 3 children, Lynne, being born 15 months later with Caron and Alun following in later years. Edwyn's RAF career saw happy and challenging times including postings in Wellesbourne, Jever in Germany and St Kilda in the Outer Hebrides.After leaving the RAF Edwyn, Ann and the family settled in Warwickshire. Edwyn was employed in management consultancy before joining a design and build company that became IDC. It was with IDC in Stratford Upon Avon that Edwyn stayed for the rest of his working life becoming Chief Executive.In the RAF, at the management consultancy and at IDC Edwyn worked with some fantastic people who remained an important part of his life.Edwyn spent his last years happily in his beloved North Wales with Ann. He passed away with her at his side supporting and adoring him as she always had since 1948.This summarises a life but it conveys so little of the man. In his early days at school in Wales he was known as cawr (giant) because of his stature but to us that had the privilege to know and love him we recognised him as a giant among men with a very big heart, bucket loads of compassion and the ability to make people feel good. So many of the letters of condolence that we have received called him a gentleman which so aptly describes his manner.We will let those who knew him summarise what he meant to us all - the following are quotes from the letters."I want to pay tribute to your lovely husband Robbie who was the kindest and most generous friend to me and I know to many others. Your loving and enduring relationship is an example of all that is good in marriage""Ted was a true gentleman and the best Officer I ever served with""I couldn't have wished for a better boss or a better friend. Ted's door was always open and he was always there to help and advise no matter how busy he was.""He was a lovely person, strong gentle and kind it was always a pleasure to be in his company. Together you have made a loving family".
From Al Pollock's Notice.All those who knew the genial giant 'Robbie' (Edwyn) Roberts and his ever sparkling and diminutive wife, Ann, will be saddened at his passing. From Nigel Walpole's great tribute, "Built to Endure" (a few copies still available at Amazon), to the Airfield Construction Branch & all those who built our runways and Cold War airfields, we will know how much we owed them.. - I'll never forget being one of the first Hunter 9's arrivals at up country Beihan - it may have been the most 'rock and roll' landing surface I ever experienced and, being hot, high and short, one did not want extra knots even with the Mk 9's brake 'chute. However the mere fact that the runway was there & constructed so fast, as with the utility of Thumier/Habilayn for Radfan supplies and support or Salalah & Masirah up in Oman (as countless others) were prime examples of what we all as aircrew too easily took for granted.Robbie went to the OCTU at Spitalgate (Grantham) in 1950, as a National Seviceman after his degree in civil engineering from Swansea University College. Pretty quickly he was OC Trade Training & Testing and signed on for a 3 years SSC, then OC Civil Mech and Electrical Training in June 1951 at Church Lawford.- later he was detached in Feb53 on Flood Relief for Felixstowe and Orfordness, stemming the breaches in the sand walls at the latter.He subsequently extended again and, in Sep54 with 5352 Wing Detachment, he would oversee the runway extension at Jever (the railway, as runway extension map below, had to be re-routed) and built the vitally important Radar bunker and station at Brockzetel.
As OC 5004 Sqn Robbie was recalled to Wellesbourne to be on standby for Suez and when released back to Germany, he found all the ACB posts were filled. The Astra Cinema built at Jever, for so long returned to the German Air Force, with the airfield used mainly by their RAF Regiment equivalent, is now a 'listed building' there. As OC 5004 Sqn ACB, Robbie was also heavily involved with Operation Hardrock the 1957 re-occupation of St Kilda (uninhabited since 1930) - again to build radar sites.Those contemporaries at Jever in Robbie's 'three halcon years' (including his Rugby), Jever Steam Launderers or sharing Mick Ryan's superbly organised return visit to Jever in 2006 [which followed the previous 2nd TAF return visit [largely initiated by Nigel Walpole and Gunther Kipp who co-wrote with Roger Lindsay "RAF Hunters in Germany", the excellent 2003 large softback] will join us all expressing our condolences to Ann as we celebrate the life of a lovely man, who ensured Jever's runway was suitable for Sabres and Hunters.
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