Gladys Anne Logan Robson was the oldest member of the WRAC Association as well as being the oldest surviving ATS member.
In fact she is believed to have been the oldest surviving female veteran of the Second World War.
Over the course of her life Mrs Robson, who has died aged 108, witnessed many major moments in history, including the suffragette movement, over 20 prime ministers, four monarchs and two world wars.
Born on September 14, 1911, she trained as a physiotherapist in 1933 before becoming a teacher later that year.
It was during her time teaching that the Second World War broke out. When she heard a women’s section of the army was being formed, she jumped at the chance to help.
In 1942, she began serving as a physical training instructor after joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
Climbing through the ranks, Mrs Robson competed her service as Senior Commander (Major) and Assistant Inspector ATS Physical Training.
She remained in the service for two years after the war, before becoming senior lecturer at the Avery Hill College of Education in London.
It was while there that she married primary school headmaster, Jack Robson, in 1953.
The happy couple moved to Newcastle until Mr Robson died in 1972 and Mrs Robson thereafter returned to Scotland.
She served as a Justice of the Peace in Blaydon and Penrith and lived in St Andrew’s for many years before moving into residential care in the capital.
As the oldest resident, Mrs Robson would give a speech over Christmas dinner, enjoying taking to the stage.
She continued to drive until the age of 90 and she was known to be “fiercely independent”.
Friends paid tribute to a “gentle woman” who had a very “naughty sense of humour” and said she was regularly visited at the care home due to her love of laughter.
