Dr Athol Herbert Robertson was renowned for his intellect, sense of humour and gift of oratory. He was the only son of Evelyn and Herbert Robertson, a mining engineer who worked in exotic places around the world. When Athol was nine they left England for one of the not-so-exotic places: Broken Hill. Athol appeared to the locals a pale boy with a funny basin haircut and a strange accent, and wearing - strangely for that time and place - shoes. Athol followed his father and mother around mining camps gradually learning to become an Aussie. There were no schools in so many of these remote places, so his mother taught him, at home, until the end of primary school. After this nomadic life, the family moved to Perth.

Athol had a passion for the Navy, with his sights set on becoming an admiral. At 13, he won a scholarship to the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay. His dreams, however, were shattered when he learned his poor eyesight would prevent his ever becoming an admiral. At this crossroad, he chose to become a doctor and, in 1938, aged 25, he graduated in medicine from the University of Melbourne where e was awarded the Margaret Ryan Prize in Clinical Medicine. He continued his studies to become a physician.

From 1940 to 1946, he served with the Royal Australian Navy as a medical officer on board the HMAS Arunta and Voyager. He saw action in many parts of the world, including New Guinea, Tobruk, Libya, Greece, India and Indonesia.

Officer life in the Navy was distinguished and formal. They entertained or were entertained by visiting ships and Dr Robertson met the likes of Field Marshall Montgomery and Lord Mountbatten. He remained passionate about the navy and was for many years president of the Queensland division of the Navy League of Australia.

He married Elizabeth Ada Alderson Smith on March 29, 1947, in Sydney. They moved to Brisbane, had two children and in 1952 settled at Indooroopilly. Dr Robertson started private practice at the Brisbane Clinic, Wickham Terrace, in 1946. After a brief period as clinical assistant at the Mater Hospital, he was appointed junior physician at the Brisbane Hospital. In 1956 he transferred to the Princess Alexandra Hospital as a senior physician. He was in private practice at the Brisbane Clinic full-time for 38 years until 1984. He continued on a part-time basis, gradually reducing to half a day a week, until he retired fully in June 1995.

He was the founder and first chairman of the Princess Alexandra Hospital Society from 1960 to 1963, chairman of the Visiting Specialists Association, a member of the Medical Advisory Committee and was instrumental in initiating the Hospital's silver jubilee celebrations. In 1977 he retired but remained an honorary consultant physician. Outside of the hospital, he was president of the Thoracic Society of Queensland and chairman of the Medical Research Committee of the Asthma Foundation of Queensland.

He was a great teacher and worked for the University of Queensland helping to train medical students and young doctors and briefing dental students about general medicine. In the 1980 Queen's Birthday Honours, Dr Robertson was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, for community service.

Dr Robertson always retained his sense of decorum. He visited the dentist the day before his death and as he was leaving the surgery turned to thank the dental nurse for her skill and attention.

He died suddenly and peacefully with friends and family by his side. Elizabeth had died at home in November 2000. He was survived by his children, Struan and Teresa, and his grandson Dillon Lee Robertson.