Obituaries Robert EO Waddell (37-45) Born 21 November 1927, died 22 September 2016, aged 88
public house in Riding Mill. Whilst leaving, he missed his footing going down a step causing him to fall. He was particularly pleased to have instinctively kept his arms into his sides, picking himself up none the worse, “Just like parachuting onto Salisbury Plain! Most people would have put out their arms to break their fall and broken a wrist or finger,” he told us – the fact that his head had just missed a large stone urn at the bottom of the steps was irrelevant! Robert (centre), aged 11 at Evacuation Day,
He was de-mobilized in 1947 but, having experienced military life, Born in Glasgow on 21 November he then joined the Territorial Army 1927, Robert’s early years were and, on 19 November 1948, was spent in Paisley before his parents commissioned into 43 Royal Tank and older brother, Michael moved Regiment where he also pursued his to Corbridge. passion for boxing and became TA Light Middleweight Champion in Educated at the RGS, he was an 1952. The Regiment converted back active member of both the rugby and to an Infantry Battalion in 1956 as 6th boxing teams achieving Colours in City Battalion Royal Northumberland both sports. With the onset of war, Fusiliers with their HQ at St George’s the school was evacuated to Penrith. Drill Hall (now demolished) next to Due to petrol rationing and a general the City Baths. He was promoted shortage of transport, Robert and to Colonel in 1964 and became Michael used to cycle home to Commanding Officer in 1965. One Corbridge on weekends and at the of his fellow officers described him start of the holidays. as, ‘one of the most magnificent men I was lucky enough to meet in the After leaving school Robert joined the Territorial Army.’ army, completing his officer training in Deolali in India and on 10 November Robert went to Durham University 1946 he was commissioned as a where he studied Dental Surgery 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery and met Fiona Margaret McCallum and was deployed to Palestine with (his future wife), who was studying 159 Para Light Regiment (airborne Medicine. He played rugby, squash, Artillery – Pegasus) where he served and a lot of golf and was always in Quetta under command 6th extremely competitive. Airborne Brigade. He graduated from Durham on His parachute training never left 2 July 1954 as a Bachelor of Dental him and it came to the fore only last Surgery and married Fiona on summer when he had lunch with 4 October 1958 and moved to friends at the Duke of Wellington Corbridge where he set up as a
dental surgeon for almost 35 years. He was actively involved in politics throughout his life and held parties at home with politicians as guest speakers. He stood for Tynedale District Council Elections in 1973 and as perspective parliamentary candidate for the Referendum Party in 1997. He was also an incredibly kind man; as a friend wrote after he’d died, ‘He didn’t have an ounce of arrogance or self-importance about him and he must have made so many people’s lives better’.
1 September 1939
19
ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2017
He had an enforced sabbatical from dentistry due to ill-health and taught himself picture framing which he did meticulously; he was good at anything he turned his hand to. After retiring, he learnt to make and repair clocks – he attended courses, set up his own clock workshop in the house and was a member of the Royal Horological Society. Robert remained optimistic and full of life right until the very end and was devoted to his dear Border Terrier, Annie. Happily – and by total coincidence – the three of us all saw him together the night before he died at home, as he would have wanted. We had a family funeral on 4 October 2016. He was laid to rest next to our mother in Corbridge and by total coincidence it happened to be their 58th wedding anniversary. By Robert’s children, Adrian, Charles and Vanessa Correction (Issue 99) Page 17. We incorrectly stated that Robert died on 23 September 2016.
