By Derek Schlennstedt
Bob Armstrong was a person larger than life.
He was considered a renaissance man who spent his life devoted to the Wandin and Yarra Valley community he lived in.
So say many of the people, who, on 22 July, farewelled this much-loved local character.
Robert Keith Armstrong, known as ‘Bob’ all through his life, was born to Keith and Gwen Armstrong on 15 April 1930 in Newport and was followed in the family by younger brother Ian.
His father, Keith, milled timber.
So Bob grew up in the hills around Noojee, attending the local school and eventually moving to Caulfield Grammar Boarding School – which Robyne Melia, Bob’s daughter, said he disliked.
“He hated boarding school, he always said that these schools gave him the hint of a life he couldn’t afford to have,” she said.
But it was in his school years that there were inklings of Bob’s renaissance character, and during school he was an attentive listener keen on learning more about everything and anything.
During his boarding school years he also used music as a means of solace and became a boy soprano in the choir, even featuring on ABC radio.
“Dad’s time at boarding school set him apart from his family in some ways,” she said.
He had a taste of what life could be, and not the means to attain it, but it gave him a voracious appetite for learning.”
In January 1939, Bob caught a glimpse of his future career when he was just nine years old, experiencing the devastation of the Black Friday fires which burnt through the town of Noojee – the family only survived by submerging themselves in a creek, emerging only to breathe.
Following school, he took up an apprenticeship at Land Rover and joined the Army Reserve in 1952, becoming a warrant officer and getting up to some humorous shenanigans which Robyne said was a regular habit of his.
“There’s a story that Dad found a band worn by permanent army of his rank – he was reserve and because no-one quite knew what he was they just saluted and obeyed.”
“This is what he did all round – fudged the edges to get the required outcome,” Robyne said.
Soon after, he married Judy West and his family grew with the birth of a daughter Robyne and son Glenn.
The family moved back to the Yarra Valley, settling in Wandin in 1960 and of course Bob joined the Wandin CFA.
It was no surprise that Bob would become captain of Wandin CFA and be a key driver in developing the Road Accident Rescue response.
Throughout his life, he strived to be the best in whatever it was he dedicated his life to and it was no different when he joined Wandin CFA in 1961, becoming captain eight years later in 1969.
While there, Bob set up a legacy that would pave the future for what CFA would become.
He saw a need in the future for the CFA to be a part of road rescue incidents and put all his time and effort into introducing this change.
Being an experienced mechanic, he reconditioned many old trucks to utilise them as road rescue vehicles, even creating his own number plates, which son Glenn said was “driven down Swanston Street leading a parade, in front of adoring policemen and officials one year”.
In 1976, Bob and Ian Hunter travelled to America, undertaking a prestigious firefighters’ course, where they were introduced to the jaws of life, which they promptly brought back to Australia where it was adopted by the CFA.
Bob dedicated a life to helping others.
He was officer in charge at the Ash Wednesday fires and he introduced the Road Accident Rescue unit to Wandin and the state because he saw the need for it in the future.
Today, the Road Accident Rescue unit in Wandin is still used, and the same truck he reconditioned still attends incidents.
Bob left an enduring legacy, not only in the CFA but to those who knew him.
His dedication to friends and the wider community, and his infamous bending of the rules, made him an enduring and well-loved resident of the Yarra Ranges.
Daughter Robyne Melia remembers her father as a generous and sweet-spirited person.
“He would do anything for any of us. He would drop anything to come to my aid, or my friend’s or family’s aid,” she said.
“Or to the aid of strangers.
“And he cried for those he couldn’t save.”
Bob passed away in his sleep on Saturday 15 July.
