It is with great sadness that we must report the death of former long-serving SSAIB inspector David Balcombe.
David worked as a regional auditor for SSAIB for over 20 years, covering the Surrey and Sussex areas, before finally retiring in January 2018 at the age of 80.
David was born in Croydon, Surrey, and was brought up in Norbury by his parents, Helena and Alfred Balcombe. World War Two followed quite soon afterwards and - unlike his two elder sisters, Iris and Doris - he was not evacuated, but remained at home with his parents during the War.
After six years at Selhurst Grammar School, he was employed briefly by the Metropolitan Water Board in London in 1954, before being called up for National Service (for which he chose the Royal Air Force.) The following two years were spent mostly in Berlin, Germany – in the days before The Wall was built – and David often described this spell as “The time of his life,” leaving him with a life-long interest in aviation alongside his passion for water-related sports.
Returning to life in his parents’ home, he embarked on a three-year electronic engineering course at a college in South Norwood. This, ultimately, gave him the equivalent of a degree and membership of the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
His first job was in research, but he later joined Pye in Cambridge and Monotype in Redhill. Finally, he was employed by the Metropolitan Police as a civil staff engineer in security systems.
David joined SSAIB in July 1997, where he participated in inspection meetings and several conferences and exhibitions over his two-decade association with the third-party certification body. He was a real gentleman and will missed by all his colleagues.
David is survived by his wife Margaret and their two adopted sons, Julian and Roger. The thoughts of everyone at SSAIB are with them – and the rest of David’s family and friends – at this time.