Former Welshpool man makes Guinness Book of Records

A man who was raised in Welshpool as part of a well-known local family has made the Guinness Book of Records as having had the longest serving career in the Royal Air Force.

Air Technician Warrant Officer Robert (Robbie) Taylor, who now lives in Lincoln and is recorded as having served 51 years and 32 days in the RAF, spent much of his childhood in Welshpool.

He is the son of the late Peggy Taylor and grandson of the late Bess Gannon of Dolyfelin and has many relatives still living in the Welshpool area, including a sister Clare Taylor-Jones, who now lives in Guilsfield.

He served from January 10, 1969 until February 11, 2020 before taking retirement and his achievement has now been listed by the Guinness Book of Records.

Robbie also spent time living on a council housing estate in Birkenhead, in a two-bedroom flat alongside two younger siblings. It was there he met a neighbour who ran a radio club, which taught basic electronic concepts.

Despite an unsuccessful attempt at building a short-wave radio, he learned key electronic theory and skills which would one day shape his life.

While working as a newspaper deliverer, Robbie saw a recruitment advert in the Liverpool Echo from the RAF. He decided to apply, thinking he had nothing to lose, and to the surprise of his parents he was accepted aged 15 to aptitude testing.

He had originally applied to be a chef, having been told he made good cakes at home, but excelled in the science and electronic section of the test, due to what he had learnt in the radio club.

He was quickly discouraged from being a chef and was offered an Avionics Craft Apprenticeship, specialising in Radar techniques instead.

By the age of 18, he was fully qualified technically and posted from training to RAF Valley, responsible for maintaining the avionics systems in fast jets.

 In 1983, he converted to an aircrew role for the introduction into service of the Nimrod AEW and AWACS surveillance aircraft.

Being involved in worldwide RAF operations and by now, very experienced, Robbie became influential in the technical development of surveillance radar systems and thereafter, aircrew technical conversion training.

After a record-breaking career, Robbie finally retired in February 2020 saying: “I chose to remain in the Service for so long mainly through respect for and genuine commitment to the RAF.

“In all respects, I owe the organisation a great debt of gratitude. After all, the RAF has been part of me and me part of it for over 50 years, more than half the time since the RAF was formed in 1918.”

When asked what the most important lessons he learned during his career, he said to “to treat everyone with unwavering respect, kindness and tolerance, regardless of status.

“The key advice that I would offer to any young person contemplating a military career is to aim high and follow your dreams. Today's modern armed forces remain the epitome of character-building professionalism combined with excellent training.

“As such, the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are all highly recommended as future career choices.”

One of Robbie’s career highlights was receiving an MBE from the Queen in 1994.

On achieving a Guinness World Records title, Robbie commented: “Throughout my extensive military career, I have received awards, medals and appropriate recognition. All of these accolades and achievements fade from memory with the natural passage of time.

“By contrast GWR is a universally renown publication, that accurately captures and documents worldwide achievements from all walks of life in perpetuity. To be a part of that recorded history would indeed be an honour and an immense privilege.”

Source: Guinness Book of Records