WeeRab, if you contact "Human resources or pensions in Bombardier(Shorts) in Belfast and explain your predicament, they could always contact him for you (providing he is still with us) to get the ball rolling.
There was a Bobby Mc Farland worked in the Newtownabbey factory in the 90's, about 5"7', black hair, he was in his late 40's early 50's then but I don't know where he came from or if he's working there anymore.
good luck.