Jack Robertson,  Pilot Officer and Navigator, Remembrance Day Program: The Greatest Generation - Imperial Room

Posted by Carol Hutchinson on Oct 28, 2018
Guest Speaker:  Friday, November 9, 2018
Location:  Fairmont Royal York, Imperial Room
Topic:  Remembrance Day Program:  The Greatest Generation
Host:  Robert O'Brien 
 
INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAM:   Past President Robert O’Brien,
Past Chair of The Churchill Society
SPECIAL FEATURED SPEAKER:   Past President Jack Robertson,
Pilot Officer and Navigator, Royal Canadian Air Force
MUSIC PROVIDED BY The Governor General’s Military Guard
 
Jack Robertson was born August 4, 1925 and grew up in Hamilton and Toronto.  On his 18th birthday Jack enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force.   After intensive training Jack became a Pilot Officer and a Navigator.  He was stationed in St. Jean Quebec outside Montreal and in Charlottetown PEI.
 
After the War Jack graduated from the University of Toronto in Commerce and Finance.   He joined Cassidy’s Limited and as a principal buyer and Vice President he travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Far East in search of chinaware, glassware and giftware.  He was a member of the Montreal Board of Trade and was a lecturer at the University of Michigan on trade with China.
Jack returned to Toronto and incorporated his own company “Jack Robertson Sales Ltd” and he moved to Oakville where he has lived ever since.  Jack  joined our Club 42 years ago in 1976 with the Active Classification “Agent-China, Glass”   He served as Club President 1991-1992.    During his year as President Jack’s theme was to focus on children and the theme of his year was “Help Youth, They’re Our Future”.   During his year as President Jack established a special committee to investigate the issue of children with drug addiction which led to the Club’s partnership with Pine River Institute.   Jack was an active member of the Senior Citizens Committee for many years and served on the Board of the Second Mile Club.    Jack has served on almost every Committee of our Club and is well respected by all.
 
Jack participated in the Sweat Equity Project in Malawi in 2010 and his son Andrew who joined him that year has returned every year to Malawi since then following in his father’s footsteps.   In 2014 at age 89 Jack enthusiastically participated in the Club’s Sweat Equity Team in Cambodia.  
 
Jack is the father of one daughter and four sons and continues to live in Oakville.  He is a talented and passionate artist in his spare time.