Former council chairman dies at 82

WALTER "Robbie" Robertson, a former chairman of Dover District Council, died in Buckland Hospital, aged 82, Mr Robertson, commodore of the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club in the 1960s, had been a governor of Dover Grammar School for Boys for more than 20 years and in September was elected chairman.

He was a St Margaret's district councillor for more than 22 years and chaired the district council from 1981-84 becoming known as its "father".

Mr Robertson, a St Margaret's parish councillor for nearly 30 years before retiring in May, chaired the parish council for many years from 1976.

He was a founder member of The St Margaret's Society, chaired Dover Probus Club and had been chairman and president of the local branch of the Dover and Deal Conservative Association.

Mr Robertson was a former president of Dover Chamber of Commerce, a post he held for two successive years in the 1970s.

He leaves two sons - his wife Una died several years ago.

Born and educated in north London, he left grammar school to begin work with a large coal concern at the age of 17. In 1938 Mr Robertson joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and went to sea in the next year in the cruiser HMS Curlew. In 1940 his ship was sunk by the Germans in a Norwegian fiord but he was able to swim through the icy seas to a float from which he was picked up.

He was later appointed an instructor with the Free French Navy at Chatham.