Obituary – last updated 8 Aug 19

2384XXXX Junior Signalman Bob “Taff” Wathen joined the Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Signals, Denbury Camp, Newton Abbot, South Devon on the 12 Jun 61, after basic training was awarded Best Recruit, his previous ACF service must have helped him along, joined Kukri Troop and graduated on 30 Jul 63 being the Junior Sergeant, then posted to 8 Signal Regiment, Catterick to train as Lineman and was so successful, remained there to complete his BII after his BIII.

Posted to 7 Sig Regt in Herford Germany and promoted quickly to full corporal, posted to 19 Sig Regt, Singapore detached to RAF Gan (he left just weeks before I arrived on exercise mid 1970) at some point trained as Tele Mech (not sure when), later to the UN in Cyprus as a sergeant, then posted to Gibraltar, meeting is late wife Jenny, a WRAC sergeant, they were married in Gibraltar and was later posted to 21 Sig Regt, RAF Laarbruch Germany, later to 28 Sig Regt, St Tonis near Krefeld Germany, on passing his Staff Sergeants course at Catterick, he was sent the Army Apprentice College, Harrogate to assist with weapon training instruction for the junior soldiers.

Bob would have clearly been a full career soldier, however the MOD in their wisdom started redundancies for senior ranks and officers, Bob received “the brown envelope” and took up a civilian career with British Telecom later Barclays.

We met in 2002 at Denbury Reunions and quickly became very good friends, he was then working as a self-employed courier, on retirement simple could not sit still and one Christmas found part time employment with the Post Office, as with everything else Bob did he was a great success and asked to take on more hours, showing others how it is down in the Bournemouth sorting office with his normal cool, calm and collective way. RIP Bob you are missed by so many.