Stuart Roxburgh attended Daniel Stewart’s and Melville College from 1979 to 1985. He initially attended on a Melville College Trust Scholarship but his interest in the RAF and family connections led to him being supported by the RAF for his last two years at school.
“School changed my life. I remember when I started at school in S1 after being in a local primary I was given a choice between Latin and Technical Drawing. Because I felt a little behind having not studied Latin prior, I opted for Technical Drawing under Mr Stoddart. I recall Mr Stoddart being surprised to have a bursary pupil in his class as most opted to study Latin, however he was delighted to teach me. My dad had been in the RAF in a technical position and his unit was based out of Learmonth Terrace. Two of my grandmother’s sisters had been caretakers of the building and I had been going to visit the building since I could walk. I had my 18th birthday party there and my dad’s wake was there later in life.
I took part in the CCF at school which I thoroughly enjoyed. Being in the CCF and having the Schools Liaison Officer coming to visit school and certainly nudged me towards a career in the RAF. However without the CCF at school, I’m not sure I would have considered a career as a pilot. I suspect that I’d have gone to join the troops like my dad who was a radio operator. I hadn’t been around anyone who had done anything different. School and the CCF helped me to elevate my aspirations. It was more common to be applying to University from DSMC than it was from my local school, it was more of an expectation.
I think I may have been the first School Captain to have been a recipient of a bursary. I also captained the 1st XV during my final year, having cut my teeth in the first team when in S4. We had Paul Caton as our coach. I didn’t have him as a teacher, however I attended a cadet camp in 2006 and recognised the jumper a chap was wearing as he accompanied some cadets there. I spoke to the jumper wearer to discover it was none other than Mr Caton!
One of my best friends at school, Martin Murray, had an older brother who had gone to study Aeronautical Engineering at Glasgow University and had also been in the CCF and that gave me an idea for my own future. I spoke to the RAF Liaison Officer and applied to be funded through my degree which was granted. I joined the air force proper after graduating. I’ve been lucky enough to travel with work, north of the Arctic circle to just south of the Equator and most places in between. My career has been really varied, from Search and Rescue missions to piloting retiring aircraft around to museums and airshows. I’ve been in some interesting operational activities and some search and rescue incidents. There’s something special when you are part of saving someone’s life – you can find individuals in the water and call helicopters towards survivors. Now I’m up at Lossiemouth teaching individuals how to fly Poseidon.
I think bursaries are fantastic! If I hadn’t gone to SMC, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to fly and become a pilot. The school helped to shape my life, I hope it continues to help youngsters shape their own lives.
ESMS Community 