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  1. #1

    Default War records for soldier who committed suicide

    Hi,

    I'm trying to find out what happened to a great uncle of mine who I believe was in the Machine Gun Crew during WWI and who sadly committed suicide after his return home. I understand he travelled from Hampshire and threw himself off a bridge in Oxford, possible Cambridge.

    I know that suicide was illegal at that time but there doesn't seem to be any way of tracing him. I'm assuming that he was buried in unconsecrated ground but there must be a record somewhere. Any ideas how I would go about gathering more information?

    Many thanks in advance,

    Sally

  2. #2
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
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    Hello Sally,

    Welcome to British-Genealogy.

    Such a sad story, though I doubt your uncle was the only person who found himself unable to cope with what they'd experienced during the war.
    Regardless of where and how he died, there should be a death registration for him. If you would prefer not to tell us his name for the moment, you can search yourself for free.
    Option one, is FreeBMD, though there is a chance that your great-uncle's entry has not yet been transcribed into the database.
    https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl
    Also free is the GRO's own site.
    https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/
    Click 'search historical births and deaths', and you'll get a link to register.

    Option 3, is to search the GRO Index on Findmypast or Ancestry. (Add dot co dot uk after the name to access the websites.) Both offer a free 14-day trial, though make sure you untick the 'auto-renew box', else you'll find your bank account several pennies lighter. Your local library may offer free access to either or both sites.

    One reason for you not being able to find a death registration would be if your great-uncle had no identification on him, but as the family know of his suicide presumably his body was identified.

    Note that a death registration is not the same as a burial.

    Alternatively, is you'd liked to give us a few details about him, our sleuths will get to work. We need his name, when he was born, the place where he might have been living before and/or after the war. His parents' names would be useful.

    Added Before Malcolm notices that I've missed this bit - also a rough idea of when he died would be useful.

    Pam
    Last edited by Pam Downes; 17-11-2018 at 1:34 PM. Reason: Added last paragraph.
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  3. #3
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    Hi Sally,
    Welcome to Brit-Gen.

    Pam beat me to it and covered all the points I was intending to cover except one.

    Unless you have more precise information than you have given above I think you will be unable to successfully identify a particular entry on the sites mentioned. Therefore you may have more success searching for newspaper reports about the incident and/or the inquest in the area where you where you suspect he died.
    Your local library may be able to help you access newspapers on-line.

    If you are hoping to find details about his Armed Service you should be aware that over 60% of Service Records for personnel in WW1 were destroyed during WW2. So finding a particular record is fortunate. The records that still exist are available on Ancestry(£)

    The National Archives have a number of guides about searching WW1 Records

    Regards,
    Malcolm.

  4. #4
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
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    Malcolm,

    I hadn't forgotten about newspapers, but they were going to be mentioned in a post about searching for a burial after the death registration had been found.

    And please stop cheating - adding in bits after you've clicked 'post'.
    Some of the WW1 Service records are also available on Findmypast. I've never checked to see if they're the exact same ones but IIRC I found one on FMP that I never found on Ancestry.

    Pam
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pam Downes View Post
    Malcolm,

    I hadn't forgotten about newspapers, but they were going to be mentioned in a post about searching for a burial after the death registration had been found.

    And please stop cheating - adding in bits after you've clicked 'post'.
    Some of the WW1 Service records are also available on Findmypast. I've never checked to see if they're the exact same ones but IIRC I found one on FMP that I never found on Ancestry.

    Pam
    Sorry I thought that was what the edit button was for, as long as no one had replied.

    Oh! pot and kettle come to mind.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by macwil View Post
    . . .

    The National Archives have a number of guides about searching WW1 Records

    Regards,
    Malcolm.
    You can find those guides here:-

    https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/h...irst-world-war

    I couldn't find the URL and ran out of time to add it in earlier post

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    As you know he committed suicide I am assuming that at some point, even if it was after the inquest, he was identified and his family informed; so there will be a death certificate, which may have been amended have been amended. See my post on another thread here: https://www.british-genealogy.com/th...ht=#post666656

    As another poster has already mentioned check newspaper reports, but I would also suggest that once you have the death certificate showing where he died checking that local record office to see if they have any coroner's records.

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    Be aware that in deaths involving investigation and/or an inquest the death registration may be some time after the actual death, though a coroner can give permission for burial before the formalities are complete. I came across the grave of a murder victim whose death was registered well after her burial. 6 months, I think, but I'm told it could be years! What this means is that you may have to look some way back from the registration date for a newspaper report or burial record.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pam Downes View Post
    Hello Sally,

    Welcome to British-Genealogy.

    Such a sad story, though I doubt your uncle was the only person who found himself unable to cope with what they'd experienced during the war.
    Regardless of where and how he died, there should be a death registration for him. If you would prefer not to tell us his name for the moment, you can search yourself for free.
    Option one, is FreeBMD, though there is a chance that your great-uncle's entry has not yet been transcribed into the database.
    https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl
    Also free is the GRO's own site.
    https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/
    Click 'search historical births and deaths', and you'll get a link to register.

    Option 3, is to search the GRO Index on Findmypast or Ancestry. (Add dot co dot uk after the name to access the websites.) Both offer a free 14-day trial, though make sure you untick the 'auto-renew box', else you'll find your bank account several pennies lighter. Your local library may offer free access to either or both sites.

    One reason for you not being able to find a death registration would be if your great-uncle had no identification on him, but as the family know of his suicide presumably his body was identified.

    Note that a death registration is not the same as a burial.

    Alternatively, is you'd liked to give us a few details about him, our sleuths will get to work. We need his name, when he was born, the place where he might have been living before and/or after the war. His parents' names would be useful.

    Added Before Malcolm notices that I've missed this bit - also a rough idea of when he died would be useful.

    Pam
    Hi Pam and Malcolm and everyone else who has offered advice - it's really very appreciated!

    Happy to provide more information if you think it would help... His name was Edwin Thomas Compton, he was born in 1898 to parents Joseph and Beatrice Compton and they lived in Locks Heath, Fareham, Hampshire. I've clawed through google several times over the years now searching for death notices or inquests etc although I haven't done that in a while so I'll crack on with that again this afternoon.

    I'm thinking the sleuths on here will have a lot more luck that I have! Many thanks for all your kind offers of help! It's a mystery I would love to solve as I'd just like to know that his service to the country was recognised in some way rather than his death being brushed under the carpet.

    Thanks again,

    Sally

  10. #10
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    Hi Sally,
    When did he die?
    Peter Nicholl
    Researching:Nicholl,Boater, Haselgrove & Vaughan

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