William Bostock served with the 58th regiment. (suicide)

Can anyone confirm

Inquest into his suicide was held on 23rd June 1888, he was married on 2nd July 1882; he was 33 years old when he died.

Notes from his inquest state the following:

Foreman: Has your husband been in the army?
Witness: Yes.
Foreman: Has he been in the Soudan?
Witness: Yes.
I.C. Sullivan Oliver produced the deceased’s regimental discharge, which the Coroner read. Bostock had been in the 58th Regiment.
Coroner: He received no pay from the Government, I suppose?
Witness: Eighteen months’ and a medal.
Coroner: Not since you have been married?
Witness: No, sir.
Continuing, the wife said: I think his head was affected by having been abroad. He has tried to destroy himself before. Once here and once in London. He said he had had sunstroke.
In reply to the Foreman, witness corrected her statement, and said it was the Zulu War that her husband had been in. He had been in some engagements, and he had a medal. He had received a bullet wound through the right ear; an assegai wound in his hip, and a bullet or assegai wound in the stomach. He also had other wounds. He had had two smashed legs. The bones were smashed and never properly set. He was run over the calf of the two legs by a provision van in the Zulu war. He could walk very well, but he twister the left leg. He received no pension. I don’t know how it was he didn’t
the coroner: I should advise you to take your discharge to the clergyman. Perhaps he could do something for you at the War Office, as your husband received such injuries, they might do something for you.
It was pointed out to the Coroner that deceased had received eighteen months’ pay.

Hi Impi

I can confrim that William Bostock is listed on the Medal Roll.

Hi Impi .
As Graves1879 has pointed out he is on the Roll of the 58th Regt for the zulu war , some other details Pvt. W. Bostock 29B / 788
Medal but No Clasp which means he never crossed the border into zululand during the War .
cheers 90th.

So he couldn't have received an assegai wound.

Hi Dave.
Cant see how he would have been in any engagements and wounded as well , when his medal is described as a ' No - Clasp '
medal !!.
cheers 90th.

Hi Impi

I have been doing a little digging and this is turning out to be very interesting.

Quote :

Foreman: Has your husband been in the army?
Witness: Yes.
Foreman: Has he been in the Soudan?
Witness: Yes.
I.C. Sullivan Oliver produced the deceased’s regimental discharge, which the Coroner read. Bostock had been in the 58th Regiment.

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The Coroner on reading this must have known that William Bostock has not been in Sudan as William had been discharged on 24th November 1879.

Quote :

In reply to the Foreman, witness corrected her statement, and said it was the Zulu War that her husband had been in. He had been in some engagements, and he had a medal. He had received a bullet wound through the right ear; an assegai wound in his hip, and a bullet or assegai wound in the stomach. He also had other wounds. He had had two smashed legs. The bones were smashed and never properly set. He was run over the calf of the two legs by a provision van in the Zulu war. He could walk very well, but he twister the left leg.

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You can see from the above that William had signed to say that he was never wounded in service.

Quote :

The coroner: I should advise you to take your discharge to the clergyman.

If the coroner had read what we are reading today, you can see why he told Mrs Bostock to see the clergyman.

The last bit of information that might be of interest is William's Medical history while with the 58th Regiment.

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As you can see from his Medical History, he was Discharged from the service because of Palpitations.
The other thing to note is that he passed a medical board in Natal in August 1879 (no sights of wounds)

This is only a thought, Mrs Bostock was trying to pull a fast one and trying to get money out of the Army or her husband recieved his wounds after his service, if he had any at all.

1879Graves. Brilliant work and well presented.