HE WAS one of the first Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) in the British Army and his remarkable service included volunteering to join a newly founded regiment known as the Chindits.

But to friends and neighbours Robert Grieve, known as Bob, was simply a lovely man with a keen interest in life.

They paid tribute to him at The Co-operative Funeralcare parlour in Alloa and Perth Crematorium on Monday 26 January after he passed away at the age of 92, along with ex-service personnel and serving members of the forces.

Born on 29 September 1922, he started work as an apprentice at a garage/minor engineering works from the age of 16.

He joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment as a private in October 1940 before his engineering experience was recognised and he transferred to the REME in 1942.

He found himself in Calcutta as part of the support for the army fighting the Japanese in Burma, then joined the Chindits.

With very little training available, he had to learn to fight and survive in the jungle from first hand experience and his role was to maintain the radios and equipment in the improvised bases, where they were on constant alert for counter attacks.

Tony Herdman, who had been a friend of Bob’s for the last seven years, said he was quiet about his service and didn’t speak much of his time in the jungle.

He said: “I was terribly fond of Bob, he was just a lovely person. He was just one of these absolutely lovely people who not only was a nice person, but was really rather wise about the world.

“He joked about his time, he always said that he and his mate always had the best lit tent because he had the battery charger.” Bob, who was born in Perth, remained in Burma until September 1946 when he was discharged from the army on completion of war service.

He spent time in Monifeith, Arbroath and Killin, a place he loved, before moving to Tillicoultry along with his wife Elizabeth (Bette) McLeod.

When she passed away, he spent his last years living in Arns Grove, Alloa, where he became friendly with neighbours Rena and Kenny Gillon.

Rena, who would see him on a daily basis, said: “He was a good neighbour and my husband and him used to talk about football and things like that.

“He only moved to this area to be nearer to the hospital as his wife had poor health all her life. They moved from Killin to Tillicoultry to be nearer to the hospital and that was how he ended up down in Clackmannanshire.” Bob was interested in golf and fishing, when he was well, and liked to keep up to date with technology – getting himself a desktop computer, mobile phone and taking on a computer course in Alloa.

He was also incredibly fond of Abba, and selected Dancing Queen as one of the songs to be played at his funeral, and had a good outlook.

Rena said: “He was a nice, nice man. He liked to joke and had a good sense of humour. He never really spoke about his time with the Chindits, very little did he speak to me about that. He told me he had Malaria a couple of times when he got back.”