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SQUADRON LEADER IVOR LLEWELYN JULES (Jack) ROBINSON
C.Eng, MRAeS, MBIM, RAF(Retd)
17th June 1920 - 2nd June 2007
A Royal Air Force Engineer who saw action at sea and in Malaya
"Way out in the Chiltern Hills, near Wendover, is the highest of Britain's High Schools. And, believe us, the boys there are well up to their work. They're the Royal Air Force of tomorrow and the school is the R.A.F. School of Technical Training at Halton (Bucks). Five thousand fledglings are preparing to use their wings. You see some of them on parade, marching past Blenheim and Battle fighting planes" ("The Sky's Their Limit", Daily Mirror, P3, Friday April 1, 1938)
This caption was published with a three-quarter-page photograph of the Royal Air Force apprentices, with the aircraft forming the backdrop.
Ivor Llewelyn Jules Robinson was born in Newport St. John's, Monmouthshire on the 17th of June 1920, the elder of three sons of Llewelyn and Mary Nestor Robinson (Nee Parry). Educated locally, he was a keen Boy Scout, becoming a patrol leader in 24th Newport Boys Scouts, and being commended "For Good and Faithful Service 1934-1936". After a brief spell at the A. Braithwaite Construction Company, Lovarge, Newport, Jack left home and Wales in September 1936 to commence his RAF apprenticeship.
A member of the 34th Entry at RAF Halton, Ivor Robinson, (Robbo as he was then known to his family and friends) was no doubt in the massed ranks of apprentices marching towards the camera eight abreast. Jack became an RAF apprentice in September 1936, passing out July 1939. (The 34th was the very last all pre-war Entry). His first posting was to RAF Hullavington servicing front-line fighter aircraft, at that time Hawker Hart and Demon single engine biplanes. War was declared on Sunday 3 September 1939. His brief diary entry reads: "Work at 8,30am. England declared war on Germany at 11am. Worked until 6pm. NAAFI in evening".
By now a leading Aircraftsman, Jack's life continued on an even keel working on aircraft engines, visiting his girl friend Peggy in Chippenham, running a Scout troop on Tuesday evenings, until Monday 11th December 1939, when he was told he was posted to the Fleet Air Arm. He noted that Peggy took the news quite well, (too well, perhaps). Jack commented much later in life that he was a bit surprised by this posting, having joined the RAF to fly, not to swim.
Having enjoyed a few days leave in South Wales he reported to HMS Daedalus, the Royal Navy holding unit near Fareham. From there he was quickly posted to HMS Ark Royal, upon which he remained from 27th February l940 to 15th August l941. His principle task was to service the "Swordfish" torpedo bombers of No-810 Squadron. But the ship and crew were in the thick of naval actions in the Norway, North Atlantic and Mediterranean campaigns. When at action stations he carried 4.5 inch shells across the rolling deck to provide munitions for the aircraft carrier's principle armament. HMS Ark Royal was a central component of Force H taking part in the controversial attack on the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir (Oran), and Jack and his shipmates enjoyed runs ashore in Gibraltar, Malta and Alexandria. Jack's ability to be in the right place at the right time was never more evident than when he opted to return to the RAF weeks before the Ark Royal was sunk off Gibraltar on 8th November 1941, miraculously with the loss of only one life.
Jack, now a Corporal, returned to Wales late in 1941, courted and married Dulcie Rosina Williams, and was posted to 764 Squadron at RAF Pembroke Dock, later to R.N. Air Station Lawrenny Ferry caring for flights of Walrus flying boats. The station trained R.N. and RAF aircrew on the Walrus for convoy escort, submarine spotter and search and rescue duties. Postings to Great Yarmouth, Bitteswell and Halifax, Nova Scotia followed. He told me he was able to enjoy a wartime Christmas in Washington DC in the company of three young female staff from the British Embassy. A posting to No.353 Squadron Transport Command in Air Command South East Asia (later India Command) in the rank of Sergeant followed. 353 Squadron, equipped with Dakotas, was based initially at Palam (Delhi) and subsequently at Mauripur (near Calcutta). It twice won a cup for the most flying hours, most passenger miles and no accidents (but had four aircraft written off on the ground when high winds demolished several hangers!)
Jack finished the war with a clutch of campaign medals, including the 1939/45 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal, and the War Medal. Returning to UK in 1947 he served at Filton, Pucklechurch and Swanton Morley. By 1951 and now stationed at Valley, in Anglesey, he was servicing Vampire and Meteor jet fighters as part of the Advanced Flying Training School technical staff. 570194 Sergeant Robinson I. LI. J was awarded a Certificate of Merit for displaying Outstanding Ability on No 3 Course Senior Trade Management in 1952. Also in 1952 he was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. A year detached to Headquarters 25 Group included preparation of aircraft for the Coronation Fly Past. This resulted in a formal Air Officer Commanding Commendation awarded on 6th July 1954. In late 1954 Jack was recommended for a Commission, and The Officer Cadet Training Unit Jurby commanded his full attention from May to August 1955 for OITC No40/2 (Blue). His commission as Pilot Officer was published in The London Gazette, 1 November 1955.
Following his commissioning he spent the next three years in the Far East, based at Kuala Lumpur during the Malaya Emergency. He was Mentioned in Dispatches for Distinguished Service in Malaya during this time. This was, so far as I could ascertain from Jack, for the recovery of crashed helicopters from the Jungle. Jack was dropped into the jungle with a Gurkha patrol to protect him while he dismantled the downed aircraft in preparation for the lift out by a twin rotor Belvedere Helicopter,
In 1958 he returned from the Far East to spend the next two years at RAF Bicester (again on a unit responsible for the recovery of crashed aircraft, this time in the relative peace of the United Kingdom). He followed this with 5 months on a course at the RAF Technical College Henlow before being posted in January 1961 to 21 Wing, RAF Church Fenton for the next two years. By now a Flight Lieutenant, No 8 Guided Weapons Servicing Course prepared him for a return to the Far East in March 1964 to No-65 (SAM) Squadron at RAF Seletar.
A posting to Scampton servicing V-bombers resulted in promotion to Squadron Leader in July 1967. The main effect of this promotion was Jack arriving in Wiltshire, first to RAF Lyneham in charge of an aircraft servicing squadron, and ultimately to a staff job at HQ Air Support Command, RAF Upavon, in 1970. (This later became HQ 46 Group in l972). During this time Jack purchased his home in Burbage. He finally retired from the RAF in July 1975 (from Upavon), just a month after his 55th birthday, then the normal retirement age for RAF senior officers.
During his service Jack maintained biplanes, seaplanes, bombers, transports, jets fighters and missiles. At times he had to recover crashed aircraft, other times he had to transport and display aircraft at many exhibitions, including Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and Earls Court. Jack joined a peacetime Air Force with 150 mph biplanes, came through a war, a national uprising or two, some political upheavals and left a peacetime Air Force with 1500mph jet fighters - quite a varied career.
Upon retirement, now in civilian life, Jack became an Inland Revenue Officer. Jack and Dulcie were a devoted couple who didn't have any family, but instead enjoyed his retirement by travelling widely, touring in their caravan and making frequent visits to their second home at Machynlleth, Montgomeryshire in their beloved Wales accompanied by a large labrador dog. A life-long dog owner, Jack became well known in the villages in England and Wales. He carried biscuits to treat all the dogs he met on his walks with Sally or Henry.
It was my privilege to meet Jack, Dulcie and Henry in 1998 when I became a Burbage resident. By this time Jack's sight had deteriorated due to macula degeneration. When he registered as blind he was allocated Osbome (Ozzie) by The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, and for many years Ozzie was Jack's faithful companion, finally passing on in 2006. Following Dulcie's death in August 2002, Jack and I enjoyed each other's company for daily walks with our dogs, visiting theatres, museums and, on not so odd occasions, The White Hart in Burbage main street - Jack, a man of strong character, was able to maintain his independent lifestyle well into his 87th year. He invariably wore a jacket and tie with hat and walking stick. A generous man who support many charities and attended Church each Sunday morning. Jack was a gentleman, a good friend and companion throughout some dark days.
Jack leaves a brother, Desmond who currently lives in South Africa, but who has visited Jack several times in the last few years. Just before his death, which resulted from a period of increasing illness and frailty, Jack had been planning to visit his brother in South Africa, and had recently obtained a new passport. This was one overseas trip he would never make.
Bernard Patterson.