Sir Alexander Stanhope COBBE, VC of Sharnbrook

[johnP-bedford]

An article in my local free Sunday paper is requesting information of family of this hero who was awarded the VC in Somalia in 1902. There is a memorial to him in St Peters churchyard Sharnbrook which is need of refurbishment. Funds are available but before work commences it seems that they wish to trace any family members. The local army cadets are keen to get going on this as 2007 is 150th anniversary of the inauguration of the Victoria Cross.

The paper describes him as a Indian born Irish man, who came to Bedfordshire when he married the daughter of the Mond family of Colworth House. After more years of service he died in Sharnbrook in 1931.   

Can we add something to this quest to find any family members ?

 

[stockman fred]

The write-up from the London Gazette dated 20th Jan 1903, is quoted in Grandad's "The Victoria Cross", 1916. It says that he was in the 1st Central African Bn. of the King's African Rifles, Indian Army.His award was for his bravery at the Battle of Erego, 6th Oct. 1902.
Fred

[stockman fred]

Whitaker's Peerage 1905 says that he was born 5th June 1870 (at Nairu Tol, India*), was awarded the DSO in 1901 and also served at the Relief of Chitral and in West Africa. No mention of family though.

*(From VC website)

[Nadine Moore]

Looks like someone may have some link to him here

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/reg.mayhew1/cobb_notable.htm

dinie

[stockman fred]

   And here's a bit more from Debrett's, 1917. He was the son of the late Lt. General Sir Alexander Hugh Cobbe, KCB, and was educated at Wellington College. In 1910, he married Winifred, daughter of Albert Edward Bowen of Colworth, Beds and 5 Queen's Gate Place SW. He belonged to the Naval & Military Club.
Fred

[CarolBurns]

IGI states born 20 July 1870, Bengal Presidency, India to Alexander Hugh Cobbe and Emily Barbara (no surname)   

1881 - pupil of Eagle House School, 56 High Street,   Wimbledon, Surrey, England
There is an Ancestral File on LDS going back to  1450 submitted by a lady in Utah but nothing about children.

Tried for children after 1911 and nothing with mothers name Bowen

Best to keep looking 

[stockman fred]

Debretts 1917 says he had a brother,Lt. Col. Henry Hercules Cobbe, born in 1869. In 1907, he married Jeanne, only daughter of Col. H.W.B. Boyd, Indian Medical Service.

I wonder if it would be worth asking the VC and GC Association if they have any living contacts who would be interested.
Fred
ps I added the Nairu Tol  bit and date to the previous post before I saw Carol's message. I see the birth date differs from the IGI but maybe it took a while to register it?

[CarolBurns]

The July date could have been the christening Fred and the June date his birth. Sometimes for the India records they only have one date so assume it is the birth date

Carol

[tazzie]

   Hi his parents are....

 Alexander Hugh Cobbe and Emily Barbara JONES,

 Page for both should read   vol 8a  page 471
                                              Q3 1863 Great Boughton Ches/Flintshire.

                      Tazzie