Nov 12, 1932 - Nov 23, 2017
Born a ‘Bathgate Bairn’, the son of Jimmy and Jenny Melville, Willie was educated at Bathgate Academy, before joining the National Bank at the age of 17. Shortly thereafter he was signed up for National Service with the RAF, spending most of his time at Lossiemouth. (That military training was to be put to good use many years later when he drilled his fellow lifeboat crew in marching, in preparation for carrying the RNLI colours at St Paul’s Cathedral in London).