Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Robert Soutter, ambulance driver, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside Thames Television's Euston Road Studios, having been led to believe he was attending an ambulance centre while on a working trip to London.

Robert, who was born in Glasgow and began his working life as a van boy for a city bakery, served with the Royal Artillery Regiment during the Second World War. He returned to the bakery after the war before joining the Glasgow ambulance service as a driver in the early 1950s.

Robert had recently been awarded the British Empire Medal for two acts of courage – firstly in July 1969, when he intervened as a gunman went berserk in the streets of Glasgow, shooting 13 people, and secondly in November of the same year, when he was called to an incident at Glasgow's Central Station, where a man had fallen under a moving train.

"Oh good heavens!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 291
• Subject No: 293
• Broadcast date: Wed 13 Jan 1971
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Wed 11 Nov 1970 5.20pm
• Venue: Euston Road Studios
• Series: 11
• Edition: 9

on the guest list...

• Helen - wife
• Frank Bishop
• Robert McAdam
• Supt Jack Kirkland - live link
• members of the Scottish Ambulance Service crew - live link
• Chris - sister
• Ronnie - brother
• Hugh Morton
• Willie Finlay
• David Stewart
• Robin McFee - live link
• Malcolm Douglas
• David Stephenson - live link
• Ronald - son
• Robert - son
• Gordon - son
Filmed tributes:
• Scott - son
• Val - daughter
• Andy Stewart

production team...

• Researchers: Mary McAnally, Janette Carn
• Writers: Mary McAnally, Janette Carn
• Director: Margery Baker
• Producer: Robert Tyrrell

• names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

Life Savers

heroes of the emergency services

The Big Red Book

the programme's icon

Andy Stewart

Screenshots of Robert Soutter This Is Your Life