MP’s tribute to ‘brilliant man’

Glyn Davies, Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire has paid tribute to the late Bob Marshall, who has died aged 93.

 

Bob was a celebrated WWII veteran who flew hundreds of missions over enemy territory and was also a talented footballer who played football alongside great names like Sir Stanley Mathews and Sir Matt Busby. He retired to Berriew in the 1980’s and played a huge role within the local community.

 

He was buried at Green Lane Cemetery, Abermule this week.

 

 

“Bob Marshall was a special man, who lived an incredibly full and active life. As well as being a strong family man, he was a great sportsman, in his youth playing football alongside great names like Stanley Mathews (right) and Matt Busby. But the sport he most loved most was tennis, and played to a remarkably high standard well into his eighties. He played the game as he lived, fairly and honestly, as a true modern day 'Corinthian'.

 

“Bob enjoyed a great career in the armed forces, joining the RAF, and trained as a pilot. He flew many hundreds of missions over enemy territory in Lancasters and Spitfires during the Second World War. After the war he joined the British Government's infamous groundnut scheme in Tanganyika. He loved telling me how they failed to grow peanuts as planned, but how he managed to cajole the locals into helping him build a full scale tennis court - probably the only court in Africa at the time. How he laughed as he told me.

 

“Later, Bob enjoyed a successful life in the City of London, eventually moving to Berriew in the 1980s. To me, Bob Marshall was a brilliant man who always remained a boy at heart. When he picked up our teenagers for a game of tennis, he drove off with them every inch a teenager himself. Bob could always see the funny side of life.  He was great company, and one of the nicest men I ever knew.

 

“My last memory of Bob was when he was in included in a parade of military vehicles through the streets of Welshpool in October. Despite being very frail, he was clearly enjoying himself as he was being driven around in an open jeep. I spent time with him afterwards, and he was still laughing at life. He lived his long life to the full, and to the end.”