Born in Wellington, NSW Nov 24, 1922 to parents Leslie and Janet Gillett. The second of 5 children: Betty 1920, Alan 1924, Kathleen 1926 and Margaret 1930.
 

Educated at several NSW country schools including Wingham Primary, Taree High and Kandos High, he began his electrical apprenticeship at Kandos Cement Works until the outbreak of WWII when he enlisted in the RAAF in Nov 1940, as Aircraftsman 1st Class service # 36597.
 

While training in NSW he met his sweetheart Shirley Stow at her girlfriends 16th birthday party in Hurstville Grove.
 

Love at first sight !!!
 

Posted overseas: April 1942 to Nov 1945, mainly in the Middle East and Italy as ground crew servicing the aircraft of 3 Squadron.
 

Married Shirley at St Stephens Presbyterian Church, Sydney, on 21st Dec, 1946 and lived in a small 3rd story flat at 230 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee for 5 years.
 

Finished his electrical apprenticeship for Godfreys before joining ACI glass-works as an electrician in 1951 where he worked for the next 30 years.
 

Family life began in earnest with the birth of his first child, Lesley and three years later they moved to a new house at 60 Remly St, Lakemba where he and Shirley lovingly raised Lesley (1949), Rodney (1955) and Ian (1957) for 25 years before moving into a unit in Kogarah.
 

Retired from ACI in July 1981 and moved to his favourite holiday spot, Hawksnest, where he lived happily with Shirl for 30 years, enjoying golfing, surfing, occasional overseas holidays and many wonderful times with his grandchildren.
 

Ill health from two strokes and Alzheimers, Robert finally 'went home' on Friday 16th July 2010.
 

Memorial Service: Thursday July 22nd 2010, Uniting Church Tea Gardens.