Robert Thomson, a former chief forester at Craigellachie, has died aged 94.
He spent almost all his career with the Forestry Commission, working for many years in Perthshire and Fife before spending 51 years at Archiestown.
Robert, known as Bert served in the Royal Navy towards the end of the war.
One of his motivations for joining up was to see the world but, instead, he was posted to Buckie.
Although he always considered himself a Forres man, Bert was born in Edinburgh on the site of what is now Edinburgh Zoo.
Early years
However, he was brought up at 47 Castle Street, Forres, where his father worked for the Edwards family who had large estates at Sanquhar, Forres, and at Kintail in west Inverness-shire.
This gave Bert great opportunities to learn to shoot and fish and kindled a lifelong love of the outdoors.
After his short spell in the navy, Bert returned to Forres to work at Culbin forest before going to forestry school at Glentress in the Borders.
After he qualified, he worked around the north-east of Scotland before settling at Craigvinean, near Dunkeld.
Marriage
During this time he met his future wife, Charlotte, who taught at the Royal School of Dunkeld.
The couple’s daughter, Joy, was born at Aberfeldy, and son John followed after a move to Fife.
Bert was appointed forester in charge of Tentsmuir, Fife, where he remained for 11 years, which allowed him to shoot most Saturdays.
Harvesting
His next promotion took Bert and his family to Monaughty, near Elgin, where he became involved in trialling new timber-harvesting equipment.
In 1971, now a chief forester, Bert was posted to his own unit, Craigellachie, based at Elchies, near Archiestown, which was home for the next 51 years.
In the final years before his retirement, Bert led the forestry management side of the newly formed Moray Forest District at Balnacoul.
His son, John, who also works in forestry, said: “My father was active in the local community as a long-term member of Archiestown Village Council, Speyside Council of Social Services and the Royal British Legion.
Football supporter
“He was a strong advocate for local services and the farming community. He was a long-term sponsor of the Gurkha Welfare Trust, and a lifelong supporter of his beloved Forres Mechanics.
“He said only recently that he hoped his legacy would live on in the forests of the north-east.”
Conversation