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I am trying to locate a David Cobb who was in the RAF or worked at RAF Cardington (Bedford) in the late 1950s. I am informed that he met recruits at Bedford station and had a box or small office which he worked from. He was perhaps on national service.

I don't have much more information I am afraid. Any info gratefully received.

Hello Debbie and welcome to the boards

do you have any other information at all?

approximate age ... middle name ... any family names (parents, siblings)

searching trees at this website, there are 43 people with a David Cobb (some duplicates of course) born between 1930 and 1940, a few in Scotland or Ireland

would anyone be able to tell you whether he was Scottish or Irish, to start with?

there were about 25 David Cobbs born in England in that decade (none in Bedfordshire)
you can find the birth records by doing the search at
http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

or would he likely have been older than late 20s? if he was on National Service he would have been at the younger end of the range I would imagine

it is extremely unlikely that anyone will see your message who knows him, but we other members might be able to help identify him ... but with the fairly common name and so little info, it may well not be a successful effort

Hello JoonieCloonie.

The information I have provided is pretty much all that I have. I am looking for my birth father (I was adopted as a child). I have already sent emails to various David Cobb family trees and I have messages on a variety of websites. Of course it is a difficult undertaking, but anything is worth a try.

It is unlikely that the David Cobb I am looking for was born in Bedfordshire, and I have already been to freebmd. But without better candidates I do not see how random birth certificates will help.

Thank you for your response. Here's hoping for some success.

Debbie, I don't think I suggested ordering random birth certificates. In fact, I know I didn't. Unless you had info to compare to the info on a certificate, that would be rather pointless.

I was attempting to help you narrow your search (by asking whether you have or could get any other information about him, such as approximate age or origin).

Messages on websites are passive "searching"; really all they are is statements. They are extremely unlikely to produce results. Sometimes they are the only avenue possible. But actively investigating possibilities (e.g., as you say, approaching people who have the name in their family) is more likely to produce results ... but only if the possibilities available to investigate include the right person, of course. When the net is very wide (a common name and no knowledge of specifics) and has so many possible holes (emigration, death, absence of the person from any available records ...), the task is daunting and success is never assured.

Knowing now that you were adopted - have you been able to locate your birth mother, and she is not able (or willing) to share any other info?

I might suggest 'family finder' type DNA testing. You never know whether a cousin of some sort on your father's side might have done the same and you might find a match. It's one of those things that it doesn't hurt to try.

Have you tried Forces Reunited?

I have now. Thanks Pam. Anything is worth a try. Thank you Joonie. I am well aware that using websites like this are unlikely to prove fruitful. I am investigating a number of different avenues. But anything (within reason) is worth a try.

A little extra info from Debbie's posting on an Ancestry message board:


"The only other information I have is that he was not on national service. He had a rank with two stripes and perhaps a symbol (perhaps a Corporal)."


And a bit more from another website:

"Presumably he was attached to RAF Cardington, maybe number 2 reception unit.
He was possibly a sergeant. "

Hello,

I'm a bit confused over the rank. 2 stripes are a corporal and I am unaware of a badge above 2 stripes but we are discussing late 1950s and I joined the WRAF 10 years later. Have had a discussion with OH who's ex RAF. There may have been a change between 1950s and OH joining in 1964 but we do not recognise that rank.

However 3 stripes with a badge is not a sergeant but a flight sergeant. If he was a Flt Sgt we may be looking for someone older and just may have served during WW2.

The job he was doing seems to veer towards admin or discipline.

Hope this is helpful but the info is very vague. :-)

Hello. I am aware the rank is vague. I am working with very vague information. I would not be surprised if he was in an admin role, as others (elsewhere) have suggested. Apparently the rank was retired out. So perhaps it was a technical one? He might also have been on his national service. But I was informed by a social worker that he was IN the RAF and had a rank of some sort. To be quite honest this is all a long shot. But any chance is better than giving up.

Thank you to everyone who is reading and contributing information.

OH was technical and to be honest it would be a waste of a technician's time to do that roll.

National Servicemen were in the RAF but usually only attained low ranks. To clarify the issue on being a technician were the chevrons the usual way up or were the points of the chevron pointing up? Do you know this?

RAF Cardington was a recruit centre for National Servicemen joining the RAF to be attested and for issuing their uniforms/equipment. Which again brings up the admin/discipline roll

Some who didn't want to serve their National Service in the army (you had no choice, you were told which service you were going to) volunteered for 3 years instead of the compulsory 2 years to be in the RAF as my cousin's fiancé did.

If you need anymore info on the RAF please ask and we will try to answer.

:-)

Thank you PatinCyprus. But I have reached the limits of my information. I have left messages on boards related to RAF Cardington and have received similar opinions. All I really know at this point is that he worked in a box on the station or outside the station, directing recruits. Doesn't sound like a very technical role, as you say. There was also some mention of a rank. Unfortunately some of my original research has been lost. I may be able to get more information, but I cannot rely on that.

If the situation changes, I will report back here.

Ok Debbie good luck in your search, hope you find him. :-)