Parents’ fury over delay in reporting son missing

The parents of a missing soldier expressed anger over the Army’s failure to recognize their son’s absence for two weeks, claiming it may have cost him his life. L/Cpl Ryan Rudd, 28, was last spotted at the New Inn in Selby on 15 February during a night out and did not return to his barracks at Catterick Garrison. It wasn’t until 1 March that Ken and Kerstin Rudd, from Pocklington, learned of their son’s disappearance when a senior officer called to inquire if he was at home.

“We were unaware he hadn’t come back for two weeks. That gap in time made it harder to find him,” said Ken Rudd.

The Army confirmed it had reported Rudd missing to North Yorkshire Police on 1 March 2026, with an investigation ongoing. They are collaborating with the local police force to uncover the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. Ken, who has military experience, noted that the base uses both a nominal and electronic roll call system to track soldiers’ locations. He explained that these systems are supposed to cross-reference attendance, yet Rudd wasn’t checked for two consecutive Mondays.

“It put the police in a tough spot, two weeks behind in the search,” Ken added.

Rudd’s parents believed he had been with a friend from another unit and had left Selby to attend a course. They suspected their son might have gone off with his companion but were unclear if he had reached out to anyone afterward. Kerstin Rudd emphasized that her son had no motive to vanish voluntarily, describing him as a soldier who always returned home. “He was enjoying his time in the Army,” she said. “Something happened that night, and we don’t know if it was an accident or something more serious.”

“It was shocking, we couldn’t believe it was happening,” Kerstin said.

North Yorkshire Police mentioned they remained open-minded about the cause of Rudd’s disappearance but noted the possibility he had entered the River Ouse. The couple hopes sharing their account will help jog memories of anyone in Selby who might have seen Ryan during that time. “Even the smallest detail could assist the police in figuring out what occurred,” Kerstin stated.

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