Sir Robert served in the Royal Air Force from 1947 to 1949 and spent nearly 2 years at RAF Changi, Singapore at the time of the Malaya emergency.
He moved from Scotland to Essex in 1964, when he was defeated at Thurrock, and was elected for Billericay in 1970, serving until it was merged into the Basildon constituency in February 1974.
He held a wide range of business interests, including a directorship of the Hogg Robinson travel agency.
As the chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Aviation Committee from 1980 to 1992, McCrindle was involved in the aftermath of the Lockerbie disaster appearing on radio and television explaining what he believed should be done to improve the security of airlines after the bombing.
He was also the first chairman of All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Insurance and Financial Services, and a public affairs consultant to the Federation of Tour Operators from 1994 to 1998.