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Remembered Today:

Soldier murders comrade in fit of insanity - Bham Daily Post 20.07.17


Bardess

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At Leeds Assizes yesterday, Arthur Peacock [41], soldier, was tried for murdering a comrade named Charles John Gates near Ripon.

The evidence showed that the couple went for a walk and, in a moment of insanity, Peacock attacked Gates with a razor, killing him. On prisoner was found a letter to his commanding officer in which he said he could not stand the pain in his head any longer and asked to be put out of his misery.

Prisoner was ordered to be detained during the King’s pleasure.

No-one is jumping out at me on CWGC or BMD. I don't have FMP any longer so can't check GRO list

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Do you have a year for the newspaper report?

29 service records on ancestry... couple of possibilities.

Regards

Ian

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Di

Nothing on FreeBMD or Ancestry's deaths index. Most odd as you'd think there wouldnt be a journalistic foul-up over a murder victim's name. Any chance there's a different newspaper which also ran the story?

John

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I think this is your man - http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/358305/YATES,%20CHARLES%20THOMAS

The date is correct, and both the victim and Driver A Peacock, from Stockton, were RFA.

" ALLEGED MURDER. Ripon, on Wednesday. Driver Arthur Peacock. was charged with the wilful murder of Driver Charles Thomas Yates, near haw Wood, on June 11th"

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Not so far, John

I suppose all murders are similar Cent

You'd be surprised how many don't involve razors

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Di

.......................................... Any chance there's a different newspaper which also ran the story?

John

At Leeds Assizes Arthur Peacock. 41, a soldier, was tried for murdering comrade named Charles John Gates, near Ripon. moment insanity Peacock attacked Gate- with razor. ' killing him. The prisoner was ordered detained during the King's pleasure.
26 July 1917 -
Southern Reporter - Selkirk, Selkirkshire, Scotland
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So, two newspapers get the name wrongly as Charles John Gates when, in fact, it turns out to be Charles Thomas Yates. A lesson there for we researchers.

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I have a similar story from a man on Rhyl memorial.

Colour Sgt William Henry Malings Royal Defence Corps was shot and killed by Sgt John Williams at Knockaloe Internment Camp Isle Of Man. The two were sat together in the Sergeant's mess. Williams left and went to the Sergeant's quarters, closely followed by Malings. Williams then shot Malings, and on being arrested said, "The cur has been the cause of all my troubles since I came here. I have made a clean job of it. I am rid of that b*stard, I am satisfied. He is only one of my victims." At The Court Of General Gaol Delivery, Douglas, he was found guilty but insane.

Incidentally there were also three suicides amongst camp guards.

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