Seventh Generation

109. Dr. James Aidan Robb (The moustache) ANDERSON+ OBE MC & bar+ was christened in 1922 in St Aidan's Parish Church, Bamburgh. He was born on 11 Jul 1922 in The Wynding Ho.,Bamburgh. He was educated between 1931 and 39 in PNEU & NPS in N'castle, Durham School. In 1939 he was a Briefly a junior in Anderson & Garland. He received a degree in 1950 in Edinburgh Uni.. He was living between 1952 and 1984 in Sarawak, Singapore, Brunei, Edinburgh, North Berwick, Bamburgh. He received a degree in 1962 in Edinburgh Uni.- PhD. He died cancer (lungs) on 25 May 2004 in Bamburgh, Northumberland. He was buried on 2 Jun 2004 in Bamburgh Parish churchyard. He was a Director of Forestry, Colonial Service.. Far East Consultant.. He served in the military 1939-45 war. He was ill with childhod mastitis,malaria in Sicily 1943. He was living <1940 in Oakwood House, Wylam & Newcastle. As a little boy he believed in "fairies at the bottom of the garden".

1939, aged 17,he started working in Anderson & Garland until Sep 1940, when he quietly joined up as a boy soldier in 70th Bn R Northumbrland Fus.

Commissioned into KOSB after OTC training at Dunbar, he transferred to 1st Bn Black Watch, which served in the 51st Highland Division for the rest of the war. That took him to North Africa and to Sicily in the 8th. Army, later to NW Europe. Wounded twice. Won MC twice (an immediate in Sicily) for a successful bayonet charge by his forward platoon across the Simeto River in daylight. Typically of officers of the Highland Div., several of them,having been discharged from hospital and transferred to the English 56th Div in Italy, went AWOL and found their way from Reggio back to their Highland Div. regiments in Sicily via Malta.

51st Highland Div with 1st Back Watch was back in action in Normandy by 10 June 1943 and fought through France & Belgium to Holland. By mid-October 1944 Robb was then a major, commanding A Company. In severe fighting around the village of Walvik he was shot in the chest and evacuated ultimately to Queen Elizabeth Hospital,Birmingham, Christmas being spent at home. Early April 1945 he returned to 1st Black Watch, then across the Rhine. By VE Day they were NW of Bremen.
On 11 July 45 he celebrated his 23rd birthday. Finally he commanded a "concentration camp" for Nazi war-criminals!

After the war he read Forestry at Edinburgh University. He did post-grad research in Finland, having been awarded a British Council scholarship to study forestry there over winter 1950-51.

His Ph.D. was awarded in 1962 by Pr of Mark Anderson of Edinburgh Uni. His important thesis on the ecology of peat swamps broke new ground, he having studied them closely over his time in Sarawak.

Joined Forestry Dept in Sarawak in 1952.There over the years he discovered many new plants/trees/soils. Parts of the citation for his OBE award (1970) sums up his achievements in 18 years; -
"........... Made outstanding contributions to .. study of forest botany and ecology
... which won international respect. ... has been almost solely responsible for ....... present high standard of the ... Dept's Research Branch. ... Also ... active in conservation ... with National Parks & Turtle Boards.... Admiration of colleagues in Sarawak ... and beyond ... ."

By early 1972 he had "cleared his feet" in Sarawak and resigned, setting up a most successful consultancy partnership with David Marsden based initially on Singapore, undertaking mainly forest surveys for firms and Chinese Tokays in Borneo. Much their biggest contract was with the Sultan of Brunei to survey all forests there. By Autumn 1984 that Brunei contract was virtually completed.
Robb was then struck down by Weil's Disease (leptospirosis), and rescued by his Partner, David Marsden, by special flight to Singapore and good hospital, where old school friend doctor (and Anne) looked after him.

That ended his career. In retirement he finished in Bamburgh,where he walked 10 miles daily until aged 81, when he fell and broke his hip towards the end of 2003.

Obituaries: The Daily Telegraph 21.6.2004, The Times 9.7.2004, The Scotsman 28.6.2004.

Dr. James Aidan Robb (The moustache) ANDERSON+ OBE MC & bar+ and Anne Burch COLLINS+ were married on 15 Apr 1963 in Oxford. Anne Burch COLLINS+ (daughter of George Ernest COLLINS and Elsie COLLEY) was born on 20 Aug 1929 in Warrington. She was living in Kuching, Edinburgh, North Berwick, Bamburgh. She was R. C.. To 1963 she was a Librarian in Forestry Department in Oxford University. Anne wrote a biography of her husband, an important record. Dr. James Aidan Robb (The moustache) ANDERSON+ OBE MC & bar+ and Anne Burch COLLINS+ had the following children:

+177	i.	Dr Thomas(1) Robb (Tom) ANDERSON Bsc, PhD.
178	ii.	William (Will) ANDERSON+ BA MA+ was born on 4 Sep 1966 in Kuching. In 2005 he was a journalist. He was christened in Kuching. He received a degree 1988, 1998, 2004 in Cambridge University, South Bank University, de Montfort University. He was educated Edinburgh, George Watsons, Cambridge Uni.. He was living in London. He was ill with diabetes. Has established Partner, Ford Colin Ian Hickson born 22.11.1965.
+179	iii.	Hugh Francis ANDERSON BA, CA.