Page 138 - RSDG Year of 2021 CREST

144 EAGLE AND CARBINE
in village life through the Dunning Gala, Flower show and Community Wood. The wood was another great joy to Bill, walking through the trees with Zenka, their dogs and grandchildren, pointing out wildlife and fauna.
In his Certificate of Service, under Assessment of Military Conduct and Character, Bill is described in the following way ‘He is the most honest sober and reliable person....’, To that we would like to add gener- ous, loving, funny, dependable and selfless. An incred- ible Dad, an amazing ‘Puffy’ and a loving husband until the very end.
Bill passed away peacefully at home in Dunning, in the arms of his beloved wife Zenka, in his own bed (one of his final wishes) during the early hours of Saturday 30 May 2020. Bill was piped out of his house by two young pipers to the sound of Highland Cathedral and his favourite tune Amazing Grace. Family, friends, neighbours and local residents lined the streets as he left Dunning for the last time.
Due to Covid restrictions and Bill’s wishes, a small family service was held a few days later. Bill’s wish was to be cremated as quickly as possible and returned home. He said ‘he’ll wait for Zenka and they can be scattered together from the top of his Craigrossie hill behind Dunning’.
Their daughters, Wendy and Amanda, son-in-law, David, grandchildren David Jnr, James, Claudia and Madison were a tower of strength to Bill and Zenka during his short illness. They are second to none.
John Paton
John Douglas Paton, known as Punchy during his time in the Army, was born on 29 February 1948. He started his army career in October 1968 and, after training, joined the Greys in 1969 before serving with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards from 1971 –1991. He was promoted through the ranks and ended up as a Squadron
Sergeant Major with the Ayrshire Yeomanry. He was asked if he wanted to be promoted to Warrant Officer Class 1 but refused as this would have been more of a pen pushing job and that just wasn’t him. As well as serving in Great Britain he also served in West Germany, Canada, Zimbabwe, Trucial States and Northern Ireland.
After leaving the Army John went back to painting and decorating, skills which he had achieved as a young man and successfully ran his own business. He continued to keep in contact with his army life, was a member of the Association and was involved in organ- ising trips to visit old war battlefields and memorials. He was very well respected and the Ayrshire Yeomanry never heard a bad word said about him. He was known as being firm, strict but fair. He loved family time with his family, Stevie, Iain and Linda; his grandchildren Tyler, Connor, Caitlin and Aaron; and the dogs Ben, Jura and Penny.
Latterly he fought cancer for ten months. A three week radiation treatment plan in 2020 helped his quality of life but sadly he died on 4 April 2021. There was a huge guard of honour outside the Masonhall Crematorium on 14 April at his funeral service although, due to restrictions, only the family was allowed inside. He donated all his army books to Erskine, and all his regimental clothes and memorabilia to the Military Museum Scotland.
Rod Macdonald Robertson
Rod Robertson enlisted into the Army on 12 July 1971 and, on 23 November 1971, after completing his train- ing at the RAC Training Regiment he joined the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Herford.
In 1972 and 1973 Rod did two tours of Northern Ireland with the Regiment, before being posted to D Squadron, based in Edinburgh. In 1974 whilst serv- ing with D Squadron he did another tour of Northern Ireland and then went on a tour to the Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus from 1975-76. On return from Cyprus in October 1976 the Squadron was disbanded but he continued serving at regimental duty in Catterick until June 1978 when he was posted to B Squadron in Berlin. In March 1979 B Squadron re-joined the Regiment in Sennelager. He went to BATUS from September- October 1979 and then decided to change his career path and applied to join the RADC.
Rod rebadged to the RADC on 14 March 1980 and served in various locations in Germany and the UK. From July 1983 - August 1984, he served a further tour of Northern Ireland, followed by a 2-year tour in Cyprus from March 1985- March 1987, this time with UNFICYP.
He attained the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 and was discharged on 3 March 1994.
Rod had rebadged to further his career but, this had not been an easy decision as he had two brothers