THAME residents are mourning the death of the town's celebrity resident, Robin Gibb.

The Bee Gee singer passed away on Sunday following a long battle with cancer.

Robin was the former president of The Heritage Foundation, which started the appeal for a Bomber Command Memorial to be placed in London.

The chairman of the foundation and former Great Kingshill resident David Graham, who worked closely with Robin to implement the memorial, said the singer was a courageous man.

He first met Robin in 2007 and the following year asked him to be the foundation's president, which he continued to do until 2011.

The Heritage Foundation pays tribute to Britain’s wealth of talent while raising funds for good causes through its charity, The Arts and Entertainment Charitable Trust.

And it was David who discovered there was no permanent memorial to commemorate the 55,573 men of Bomber Command who lost their lives during the Second World War. Bomber Command HQ was based at Walters Ash up until the late 60s.

He put the proposal to start a campaign for a memorial to Robin.

David said: "Robin was our front man and worked an absolute miracle. He was so enthusiastic about the whole thing. He loved history. When you went around to his there was books and dvds- everything to do with history.

"He was passionate about this memorial I am so dreadfully sad he is not going to be here on June 28 in Green Park when the memorial is unveiled."

The open style pavilion, to be inscribed with a Winston Churchill quotation, will be unveiled at the entrance to Green Park.

David held a garden party at his former Great Kingshill home in July 2010, which Robin attended, to celebrate receiving planning permission for the memorial.

David, who moved to London last September, said Robin was always keen to point out it wasn't a memorial to war but to peace and to the men who sacrificed their lives in a war which brought peace to the world.

He said: "The measure of a man's life is what he has achieved. In Robin's case this is immeasurable because he achieved so much.

"The world has lost a really nice guy. There aren't that many around."

Thame town mayor Nigel Champken-Woods, said: "We are sorry to hear about the passing of Robin and we send our condolences to his friends and family. He was a great singer and songwriter and he leaves behind a legacy of beautiful songs."

In a letter to the Bucks Free Press, Richard English of Earl Close, High Wycombe, said: "We in High Wycombe should all pay tribute to Robin Gibb who passed away on Sunday. We should remember that he was hugely instrumental in helping the Bomber Command Memorial fund reach its target of some £9 million.

"The memorial is due to open on 28th June 2012, what a shame he will not now see the fruits of all his efforts."