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  1. #1
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    Default Army - India - Murder

    I know it's a confusing title, but that is it. I will tell you everything I know.

    My fathers uncle Reginald Carl Boden (30.12.1906 - 25.03.1975 in Birmingham, Warwickshire) married Hilda Cook (19.07.1911 - 30.07.1988) in 1933. They had 3 children, the one in question being Jill Marjorie Boden (05.08.1934 - 23.07.1938).

    I believe that Reg was in the British Army (but I can't find any evidence), Jill was born in Singapore and in 1938 the story that the family believe is that she was murdered in Bangalore, India on 23.07.1938. We also believe that Reg then went out and murdered the man who killed his daughter. I am desperate to get to the bottom of this story, but I can't find anything to validate this. If I could find his Army Registration No or Unit, I could apply for his military record. I suspect he may have been with a Staffordshire Regiment I have no idea whether he joined during WW1 or later. Surely he would have been Court Martialled..!!!

    Has anyone got any suggestions, any help or tips would be appreciated. I can't leave it, the little girl deserves that we know the truth about her very short life.

    Many thanks.

    Julie Prentice

  2. #2
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
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    If Reg was born in 1906 then he would only have been twelve when WWl ended and although I know under-age boys did enlist I think a twelve-year old would have been stretching things a little too far. He would have enlisted after 1921/22 and the service records for personnel who enlisted/served afterwards are still held by the Ministry of Defence. As Reg died more than twenty-five years ago you can apply for his full service records. See this link for more details. As well as the forms you will also need to send a cheque for thirty pounds and a copy of Reg's death certificate. The latter is obtainable from the GRO.
    https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/
    Reference numbers can be found at https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

    Though ordering Jill's death certificate (if you haven't already got it) may give you the cause of her death.
    Use the GRO link given earlier and in the 'most customers want to know' section it tells you how to apply for a certificate when the event happened overseas. It also gives more details about the certificates.
    Details which might help with the ordering
    Name: Jill M Boden
    age: 3
    station: Bangalore
    Year: 1938
    page: 124
    Found in: Army returns, deaths, 1936 - 1940

    As the family seem to have string links to Birmingham you could try searching local (possibly even national) newspapers. The majority of the British Newspaper Archive is available on Findmypast, though from I've read in another BG post earlier today you can get three free entries from the BNA site itself. Don't know if that's three a day. or three in total.

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

  3. #3
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
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    Just realised that you need to know whether Reginald was army, air force, or navy as you apply to different offices for the service records. Though with Singapore and India I would guess army, but never assume.
    It's highly likely he was already in the forces when he married so send for his marriage certificate.
    You could try for a copy of Jill's birth certificate, but you need to check exactly what details you're likely to find on it.

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

  4. #4

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    Hi
    Hope this helps
    First name(s) Jill Marjorie
    Last name Boden
    Birth year 1935
    Death date 23 Jul 1938
    Death year 1938
    Age 3Y 11M
    Burial date 24 Jul 1938
    Place Bangalore,Holy Trinity
    Presidency Madras

    child of of Staff Sargent Instructor Reginald Boden
    A.F.1, M+S, Railway Rifles and Mrs. Hilda Boden
    cause of Death Cellulitis
    Buried 24 July 1938

    Peanut

  5. #5

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    If it’s all true, and you’re feeling lucky, the story might have caught the attention of the press. Try the newspapers of the time.

    And have you tried the FIBIS (Families in British India Society) HERE ?

  6. #6
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    Peanut,

    Thank you so much for this. Where did you find the information? So now I know that Cause of Death, and that Reginald was with the Auxiliary Force India, Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Rifles. Do you have any idea where I can get his army records from. Thanks again for your help.

    Julie Prentice

  7. #7
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
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    Quote Originally Posted by JulPre View Post
    Peanut,

    Thank you so much for this. Where did you find the information? So now I know that Cause of Death, and that Reginald was with the Auxiliary Force India, Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Rifles. Do you have any idea where I can get his army records from. Thanks again for your help.

    Julie Prentice
    See my post #2, first paragraph.

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

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