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A Book of Remembrance

Colonel the Reverend Robbie George Russel Hall QGM

 

This book remembers our friend, colleague, father and husband Robbie Hall who went home to his Lord on Friday 6th November. The book will collect remembrances from those that knew him and had the honour of experiencing his kindness and fellowship.

Robbie was born and raised in the Scottish Highlands then latterly in Northumberland. The fourth of five children, he joined the British Army at the age of 18 hoping that three years of service would do him good; he finally left after 37 years, having enjoyed the most remarkable career.

Early in his career he completed the Commando course, earning not only the coveted green beret but also the Commando Medal. He served as a bomb disposal officer and was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal, by her Majesty at Buckingham Palace, for defusing a World War Two bomb found in a gasometer at the Beckton Gas Works in London.  He was privileged to attend the Canadian Forces Command & Staff College in Toronto where he was awarded a Distinction as well as gaining an MBA from Shrivenham later on in his career. He was an experienced army diver eventually becoming CO of The Defence Diving School. His last, very challenging posting, was as the Commandant of the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search Training Regiment at Kineton.

During Robbie’s second six month tour in the Falkland Islands he attended a Bible Study and became a Christian, and spent the next thirty years as an enthusiastic and strong witness to Christ’s saving grace, including supporting not only local Churches wherever he was posted, but also working closely with several of the various Military Christian organisations.

Not content with retirement after the army, he elected to complete a second Master’s degree in Bible & Mission and then formal ministry training. This culminated in his greatest posting ever when he became the beloved Pastor of Hope Baptist Church in Bridgend. Beyond all of these accomplishments he was an incredible father to Ben, Jamie and Thomas, and a devoted husband who recently told Helen, his wife, that he wouldn’t have changed one day of his life.

Please feel free to share your memories of Robbie on this site, as this may provide comfort to his family and friends, as we also celebrate his life and the person Robbie was.

If you wish to make a donation, the family have asked that it would be made to the Hope Baptist Church, Bridgend where Robbie was Pastor before going home. The donations will be used for the many and varied building projects within the church which were very near and dear to Robbie’s heart. Please see the details below if you would like to do this. If you wish to send a cheque then please make this payable to “Hope Baptist Church” and post it to the address below.

Robbie’s funeral is taking place on Wednesday 18th November at Hope Baptist Church. Due to current circumstances the funeral must be by invitation only and will sadly be limited to very close family and friends, but it will be possible to watch the service online through the Hope Baptist Church Bridgend Youtube page. A larger thanksgiving service is planned once circumstances allow for wider attendance.

Robbie was dearly loved by his family and respected by all those he had the opportunity to work with, both during his 37 years within the British Army and in his role as a Pastor beyond this. His loss is felt by all those that knew him.

The Treasurer

Hope Baptist Church

Station Hill

Bridgend

CF31 1EA

 

Barclays Bank

Sort Code: 20-12-25

Account Number: 60483206

Book Owner: Phil Chamberlain

Book Size:  200 Messages

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Tom Herbert

It was with great sadness I read of Colonel Robbie Hall’s death. He was my last OC and, by a long chalk, the best I ever served under. After seeing the attached photograph posted by The Royal Engineers Museum it brought back a flood of memories. Especially as I was honoured to be in a position to take that photograph.  Robbie was a truly inspirational leader, he deeply cared for the people under his command and fought for them whenever necessary. He trained hard, excelled as a triathlete, and earned respect from everyone he met. He will not be forgotten….
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Tyler & Pavan

Pavan and Tyler extend our deepest sympathies to the Hall family. We are blessed to have gotten to know Robbie and will cherish our memories of him. What always stood out to us was Robbie’s unique ability to tell a good story and his sense of humor – he always made people around him feel good.  With Love, Tyler and Pavan …
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Reverend Andrew & Mrs Jenny Harter

We first met Robbie through friends when he was considering entering formal ministry with the Baptist Church.  He was clearly cut out for an important leadership role in the church and we had no hesitation in encouraging him, in the end introducing him to Ewyas Harold Baptist Church where he was a member when he took on a trainee role at Monmouth before moving on to Hope Church in Brigend.  Although he was always characteristically modest, it was obvious from the very beginning how much he had to offer.  It is a tragedy for the churches of South Wales that his ministry was cut so short….
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Michael Hall

Rob was our much-loved nephew,friend and hero. We first met him when he was a toddler. A few years later, when he was a very young man, we gave him a lift down from the North, where we had been visiting older relatives, down to Aldershot at the beginning of his army career. Many years later, he was frequently visiting and helping his mum and dad in their final years, but he often made time to go out of his way to visit us as well. We also have great admiration for his charming family, for whom it is a great tragedy that he died at such a young age. Rob was an example to us all, and hard to follow….
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Charles Dobbie

On being posted to the Main Building of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in Whitehall, Robbie wasted no time in getting in touch with the Combined Christian Fellowship there.  It was in that context we first met.  And it was an encounter with gold.  Pretension was entirely lacking from Robbie’s character.  What you saw was what you got.  He had the star combinations of sensitivity and directness, insight and propriety, intelligence and tact.  He quickly proved indispensable to the work of the Fellowship – and his zeal, hard work, loyalty, reliability and unflagging support contributed to the Fellowship’s rapid growth and witness within the MOD.  Robbie loved the Word of God, the Gospel – and was ever eager and active to learn it and minister it.  Tough, disciplined and unfailingly cheerful he never missed the Fellowship’s regular early morning prayer meetings held in the little chapel situated in the Main Building’s basement.  He was always encouraging to other Christians around him.  His counsel was far-seeing and wise.   Robbie played a key part in the MOD’s ‘Read Mark Learn’ group at St Helen’s in the City, later running a succession of successful and well-attended lunchtime ‘Read Mark Learn’ Bible…
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Elaine Brain ( ne Wallington)

I was privileged to get to know Robbie when I was a young BFES teacher in Iserlohn. I have vivid memories of him sitting in the midst of us teachers who lived in the mess, squashed into Trudi’s room. With his boyish face and twinkly-eyed smile, he won us all over – but to be the only man with all of us was an act of great bravery! Of course he went onto marry one of us. Helen had become a close friend and my husband and I have followed their married life, meeting up every few years and sharing our news in between. What always struck me about Robbie was that he had the qualities of gentleness and strength in equal measure. It made him a truly fine leader and a lovely husband and father. His was a wonderful example of Christianity lived out. With Helen’s strength of faith too and her own admirable qualities they have been a great partnership and have weathered storms together. Helen is a firm friend and I feel sure that this will remain so, wherever in the world she may be. I will always remember Robbie with great fondness….
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Rosemary and Bob Rowe

We thank God for the ministry and teaching you gave us all in your short time with us.  Rosemary and Bob….
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Clive and Julie Baker

We first met Robbie and Helen in Iserlohn when I was posted to 5 Field Squadron Royal Engineers where Robbie and I were both young and fairly green troop commanders.  I admired Robbie for his superb fitness and dedication to his troop.  I also rather envied the obvious respect and affection with which he was regarded by his men, particularly his senior NCOs.  I remember a staff sergeant being in tears at Robbie’s leaving party.  He was great fun socially and Julie recalls that he had a fondness for toasted stilton sandwiches. He was courageous.  Put in charge of the regimental boxing team he did not just oversee their training, he joined in and did it all.  Unfortunately this meant that when one of the boxers could not take part in the next competition Robbie, who was not really a boxer, could take his place in the ring.  Robbie’s opponent battered him for almost three solid rounds but Robbie stuck it out.  If there had been a fourth round I reckon Robbie might have beaten his now exhausted opponent.  Robbie was one of those special individuals that you wish you had been able to spend more time with and…
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Rhonwen Miles. (Church Secretary)

To you, Helen and all your family, We at Hope lament the fact that we have not been together as a church for the much needed comfort and support.  We have been forced to march to the drumbeat of Covid -19.  With our church building closed,  our grief and deep sense of loss has, of necessity, been as private as it is personal.  Robbie’s legacy has yet to be fully realised, voiced and acted upon. Our loss of a Pastor, a shepherd – who “restored our souls”  goes deep; simply because Robbie preached God’s words with an insight and passion that brought many to their knees in faith and love of our Lord.   Time and again he would remind us that ‘God has a plan’: because Robbie had the ability to see the big picture.  He also had the courage to attempt great things for God and took us with him.  Few would say ‘no’ to Robbie!  His immense military discipline came easily into play.  A born leader, bold in speech and fervent in prayer – his was an example to follow.  The ‘plan’ was a fine one and it was being worked out – it was blessed abundantly.  May…
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Ann and David Sarll

Robbie was my half brother Peter’s son. I knew of him rather than knew him. Since David, my husband and I were living on the other side of the planet now, this was not surprising. But the planet had become a smaller place and one day Robbie and Helen turned up in New Zealand! They were visiting their son Jamie.  Robbie was, first and foremost, a lovely man. I was not sure how much we would have in common but that is how he seemed to me and I was so happy to have met him at last. He was warm and interesting and interested and full of the pleasure of life. These are valuable qualities. He was a very brave man too but seemed unaware of it. I cannot imagine doing what he was able to do. I saw a little of my beloved Dad in Robbie and will always be so glad he took the trouble to come and visit us in our very remote corner of the world….
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Beth & Dave Frederick

We were privileged to make the acquaintance, even though it was only for a short time, of a real, self-effacing hero.  What we remember most are some of the little details: his humour and story-telling, (such as his nearly causing a diplomatic incident in Kosovo) , and his almost boyish glee in revealing the secret door in his library, operated by pulling a book.   A man of warmth and a deep love for God.  We’re grateful that his family have donated many of the tools in his multiple sheds to Tools with a Mission to enable livelihood creation in Africa.  We think that he would have been pleased with that. …
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Tom Clarke

What a man. Robbie was to me every inch a Christian and every inch a soldier. I first met Robbie and Helen in 1993 at Perham Down, when I was a newly commissioned sapper officer; he was OC 8 Squadron.He was reroling the squadron and very busy, but he still found time to lead a weekly Bible study. This allowed him to reach others on the base with the good news about Jesus. This inspired me   Robbie was a great source of advice and wisdom to me on how to become a better Christian officer. He demonstrated how to be utterly humble & approachable, whilst not compromising his command or professional standards. I learned so much from him when I was in Perham Down and he remained an inspiration to me. Years later when I had left the army and got married, it was a privilege and a pleasure to remain in contact with him and Helen and to introduce them to my wife. Settling in South Wales meant that Liz and I could remain in contact with Robbie and Helen. Their move to Bridgend was great news for us to have such good friends nearby. So it is with great sadness…
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The Chamberlain Family

We met Robbie and Helen when our boys and their’s became friends at school, a friendship which endured for both generations. We spent many happy times with Robbie and Helen, be it walking in the Malverns, always in the proper kit, or staying in a Youth Hostel at Colditz (against my instincts but made enjoyable by Robbie’s presence!) His stories and descriptons of Army life were fascinating, but it was equally enjoyable telling him about farming life, to such an extent that more than once he did a shift on a tractor and trailer in the harvest field, pointing out that our procedures on the farm walkie talkies would not be acceptable in a military unit. In more recent times Robbie took part of Tim’s wedding service and although I am not a regular church goer we often talked about faith, scripture, and different religions in a way that made them interesting, without ever making me feel I was listening to a sermon. Wherever you are in the world we look forward to keeping in touch, whether by visiting or talking.  …
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Natalie Pickett

Uncle Rob, Thank you for being an inspiration & an example. For so many reasons & in so many ways. You are so loved, by so many, and will be deeply missed by us all. Natalie. …
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Henry Morgan

Robbie, a dear friend for 40 years, was a light to everyone he met. While friendship was a core quality, his positive attitude drawing in people to believe in their own skills and worth stood him out as a beacon of inspiration that has helped so many. Apart from that…; quite simply, he was great company. Love to Helen, Ben, Jamie and Thomas, while a terrible loss of your husband / father, what wonderful pride in what he achieved and the example he set. Love Henry & family….
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