Obituary for Captain RW ‘Bob’ Start

Bob Start, who died on 30 July 2013 aged 89 and 1 day, had careers as a soldier and as a member of the Stock Exchange. Born with his twin brother Jim in 1924, his early life was filled with tragedy; his mother died little more than a year later, followed by the death of his father when he was only 11. Thereafter, they were in the care of their grandparents.

Bob started boarding at Brentwood at the age of 7, leaving in 1941 to join the Midland Bank as a trainee, but it wasn’t long before he was called up and did his basic training at Warley Barracks, followed by Northern Ireland, where he was identified as a potential officer and sent to Wrotham in Kent. At the end of the course, he opted for service in India, which he eventually reached after a tortuous voyage via USA, Freetown and Durban, and landed in Bombay, having evaded the U-Boat menace which was then at its height.

On arrival he completed his officer training; thus after nearly two years of training and travelling he was commissioned into the Queens Royal Regiment of foot, the West Surreys. In typical Army fashion he was promptly posted to serve with the Royal Lincolns who were in Arakan in Burma as part of the 14th Army. By now the Japanese Army was withdrawing and despite many months of patrolling, many lasting for 7 days at a time, Bob didn’t make contact with any Japs. He did, however, contract malaria, dysentery and jaundice and was evacuated to India. To while away the time whilst recuperating he took up tapestry. As his daughter, Judy says “not a lot of people know that”!

He rejoined the West Surreys in 1945 after the war ended, and in 1946 was granted a Regular Commission in the Essex Regiment. Back in England Bob landed two plumb jobs, one after the other. The first as ADC to GOC East Anglian District based in Colchester which he did for 3 years. It was during this time, in December 1948, that he married June whom he had first met many years before when they were neighbours in Gidea Park. Theirs was a wonderful, happy and fulfilling marriage lasting 55 years until June died in 2003. To enable Bob and June to go away on honeymoon Colonel Geoffrey Morgan (then Captain) stood in. on Bob’s return the General let it slip that he was pleased to have them back! His job as an ADC was followed by his appointment as Adjutant of the 4th Bn the Essex Regiment based in Ilford, serving under Lt Col Arthur Noble DSO who had commanded the 1/4 Battalion in North Africa and at Monte Cassino.

In 1952 Bob rejoined the 1st Bn in BAOR, where it was stationed in Lüneburg and in due course became the MTO, which made him very popular with the bachelor officers begging for some off duty transport. Lüneburg was followed by Korea, with the Battalion landing first after the armistice had been declared. During this time Bob was chosen to command the Commonwealth Division Battle School based near Hiroshima in Japan, returning after 6 months, not long before the end of the tour in Korea, with the Battalion moving to Hong Kong. After a period of Regimental duty Bob was appointed as a G3 at Army HQ based in Hong Kong Island. There his prime responsibility was monitoring the Colony’s border with China. Towards the end of 1954 with June expecting Robin, and after much family discussion, Bob decided he would leave the Army and return to England, having spent a very varied and adventurous 13 years in 8 different countries.

Aged 31, it wasn’t easy to settle back into civilian life and finding a job was difficult. But through a friend of a friend, Bob got a job as the PA to the Managing Director of Walkers, a company based in Ilford which owned a chain of dry cleaning shops throughout London. Bob became a manager but after four years decided it was not for him and left to become a blue button on the Stock Exchange with Ferguson I Clarke. Bob described it as “the lowest form of life on earth” when he found himself working alongside 17 year olds. Bob moved onto Pichin Penny where he had his own book and dealt for them on the floors of both the old and new Stock Exchanges. He later moved from the trading floor to the offices and eventually became the Office Partner. Bob oversaw the takeover of Pinchin Penny by Morgan Grenfell following the Big Bang and as he said “I turned out the lights, handed over the keys, and retired”.

On leaving the Army, Bob, June and their children seemed to become nomads, living in no less than ten houses in twenty two years; in Essex, Suffolk and Sussex until finally they moved into Tillington, West Sussex in 1987, where Bob was still living when he died. It was here that they fully entered into village life, running raffles, driving people around, befriending new arrivals, helping the older residents, regular church goers and supporters of the many activities in the church and the village. Apart from this, they spent a lot of time in their villa in Menorca where they developed a second set of friends and of course enjoyed the visits of their children and grand children.

In the Army Bob was very popular with his fellow officers, looked up to and appreciated by those who served under him, and was patient and approachable. In the City he was very much liked and trusted in the days when “my word is my bond” held sway. Sadly, he contracted cancer and he grew weaker and weaker as his 89th birthday approached. On Sunday 28 July he asked for a G&T (“ice and lemon please”) which he was able to suck through a straw and on Monday, his birthday, he was able to sip some champagne with his family around him as they were when he died peacefully the next day.