WW1 Suicide

[stuart rowles]

James George Rowles was born 22nd October 1877. He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 28th October 1898.

His occupation was given as 'Cooper', an occupation he continued in the Navy. He served on many ships joining HMS 'Achilles' on 5th June 1913. He was still serving when war broke out and on 28th November 1917 he took his own life. His papers sadly tell us that he commited suicide whilst temporarily insane. He was buried the same day at sea. His rank was Petty Officer 1st Class.

The bare facts are listed in the ships log but no more detail as to the circumstances.

Is there anywhere I should be looking to find out more. Surely there must have been more paperwork at the time.

[museumtom]

Of all the suicides I have come across during WW1` the most popular method was with a razor to the throat. I found the best way of finding information on local suicides was from the local newspapers for reports and inquests.

[James A Pratt III]

You might also want to try navalhistory.net I believe this site does have the deck logs for HMS Achilles if he was still on this ship.

[horatio2]

Buried in mid-Atlantic, I doubt you will find anything more 'official' at Kew and you have already noted his entry in ACHILLES deck log, which does not state cause of death..

Naval-history.net has his cause of death as "illness" which, if he committed suicide, is wrong. The Admiralty-authorised "causes of death" in his case is;-

Cause of death 4 -
Deaths due to suicide, murder, alcoholism, heat stroke;
Deaths under anaesthetic, and any cases which cannot be classified under disease or accident.

By "illness", I assume they mean:-

Cause of death 3 -
Deaths from disease.

Born in Banbury, there just might be something on his death there, as museumtom suggests.

[Stoppage Drill]

Of all the suicides I have come across during WW1` the most popular method was with a razor to the throat.

There must be a better word than "popular"

[museumtom]

Perhaps 'common?

[seaJane]

The WW1 naval suicide I have seen recorded was in the ship's Medical Officer's Journal. This may be in ADM 10* . If it isn't, let me know after Jan 4th but I will need the ship name.

sJ

[Ron Clifton]

Medical registers seem to be in class ADM101. Was he still with HMS Achilles when he died?

Ron

[Kitchener's Bugle]

Information is recorded about his death on "Find My Past" reference ADM242.

Deaths At Sea, 1781-1968 - The records may reveal where your sea-faring relatives were born and where they died, the name of the ship, and their cause of death.

There should also be a Death Certificate.

KB.

[seaJane]

Ship's logs for ACHILLES at Kew but not the MOJs. I'll ask in January.

sJ

[stuart rowles]

Yes, I have found the ships log for HMS Achilles but it only gives the time of death and the time of burial.

I assume the MOJ's you refer to is the Medical Officers Journal.

[seaJane]

Yes, which is what I called it in full in my earlier post.