Donald Gordon Cobden
Born 11 Aug 1914 - Died 11 Aug 1940
- Service number
- WWII 41552 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- Pilot Officer (Pilot) AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 74 Squadron AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Donald Gordon AWMM
- Surname
- Cobden AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWII 41552 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 11 Aug 1914 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- —
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- WW2 Parents: Mr. & Mrs. Cobden of Christchurch AWMM
- Relationship status
- Single/WWII AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- France & Germany AWMM
- 1940 AWMM Battle of Britain AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- WWII 41552 AWMM
- Military service
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- Posted to 5FTS (Flying Training School), Sealand 28.1.39 AWMM
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- Inter War Aug 1938 AWMM
Age 24 AWMM - Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Royal Air Force, No. 3 Squadron AWMM Royal Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
Shot down by German aircraft AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Pilot Officer (Pilot) AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 74 Squadron AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Donald Cobden was the son of Alfred Palmerston Cobden and Mabel Elizabeth Cobden, of Papanui, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Educated at Christchurch Boys High School 1927-31
All Black in 1937
He was killed on his 26th birthday
Portrait in Wynn, K. (1981). The Battle of Britain: 10 July- 31 October 1940
Attended Christchurch High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845609)) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 11 Aug 1940 AWMM
Age 26 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Oostende New Communal Cemetery, Oostende, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium AWMM Plot 9. Row 3. Grave 24. AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Sources
- External links
- Allblacks.com website All Blacks A to Z
http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/atoz.asp?group=A
Sources Used - Rugby Museum.co.nz rugby profile
http://www.rugbymuseum.co.nz/ABProfilee.asp?level1=All_Blacks&Level2=ABC&IDID=156
Further Reference - Battle of Britain, a website.
http://web.archive.org/web/20060403113135/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/bobhome.html
Further Reference - Battle of Britain Historical Society website.
http://www.battleofbritain1940.net/
Further Reference - 'Roll of honour', Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 10-Apr-2015
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/battle-of-britain/roll-of-honour
Further Reference - Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5294175
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2081892
Further Reference - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Co - Dy. Archives New Zealand (R17845609)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845609
Sources Used - See a list of New Zealanders awarded the Battle of Britain Clasp here (PDF). Compiled with the assistance of Errol Martyn and linked from the NZHistory page produced by Manatū Taonga, Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/nz-battle-of-britain-list.pdf
Further Reference - Battle of Britain: Allied Pilots, Aircrew Remembered
https://aircrewremembered.com/BattleOfBritainDatabase/battlebritain-alpha-list.html
Further Reference - New Zealand War Graves Trust
https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/
Further Reference
- Allblacks.com website All Blacks A to Z
- References
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- Chester, R., McMillan, N. & Palenski, R. (2005). The encyclopedia of New Zealand rugby. Auckland, N.Z.: Hodder Moa. (4th ed.)
- Wynn, K. (1981). A clasp for "The Few". Auckland. N.Z.: Author.
Wynn, K. (1981). p. 85-86 - Wynn, K. (1989). Men of the Battle of Britain. Norwich, England: Gliddon Books.
- Ministry for Culture and Heritage. (2012). New Zealanders serving with RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, 10 July – 31 October 1940. [A list compiled by Ministry for Culture and Heritage with Errol Martyn].
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] - Historical Items - Battle of Britain Roll of Honour, July - October 1940. Archives New Zealand, Wellington, ADQA 17263 AIR118/109/77e (R17845784)
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Co - Dy. Archives New Zealand (R17845609) - Former archives reference: AIR118
- Please note that the 11 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions.
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Deceased New Zealanders (Formerly) serving with RAF [Royal Air Force]. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845760).
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