TOPIC:

Captain Swinburn, an officer who had served in South Africa, and been invalided home, wounded, committed suicide at Exmouth to-day. He had intended going to the War Office to-day, and the cabman, waiting for him, told him there was not much time to catch the train, but the captain said he would go back to his bedroom for a minute. A report was heard, and it was found he had shot himself through the head.

(Evening Express, Friday 6th June 1902)

Can anyone add anything to this, please?

No officer call Swinburn in the casualty rolls.

Two possibles named Swinburne

Hubert Swinburne, Lieutenant
Protectorate Regiment Frontier Force
Wounded on 27/10/1899 at Mafeking

R Swinburne, Pte 3043 Cape Mounted Rifles Wounded Severely 09/04/1900 Jammersberg Drift (Siege of Wepener)
later Lt SAC

I've got information on when either man died.

Regards
Meurig

He doesn't show up in Find A Grave (I wonder just what percentage of UK graves that site actually has?), but found something else very interesting. www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=g...id=179852305&df=all&

Got him

William Millward Swinburne (sic) Cpt 63 (Wiltshire) Company 1 Battalion Imperial Yeomanry

Signed his own medal roll, medal issued February 1902, returned 1906.

Probate Calendar shows him dying June 6, 1902, of Exmouth. Married to Beryl Irma.

Still no evidence of his wounding.

The Western Daily Press 09 June 1902 carried a report of the inquest, he was depressed but there was no reason for it, he had been suffering from insomnia. Verdict "temporary insanity". He was 36.

The Western Gazette 13 June 1902 additionally reports he was buried June 9 at St John's in the Wilderness, near Exmouth.

As for your link: Trpr James William Swinburne - DoW 08-03-1902 Klerksdorp, and buried there. He must be on a family headstone, shame there is not a shot of it.

Regards
Meurig

Well done! I can contact St John in the Wilderness regarding his grave, maybe even ask for a photo.
I wonder if he could have been invalided home with enteric, rather than being wounded? www.stjohninthewilderness.co.uk/about/1-the-churchyard

SWB wrote: Trpr James William Swinburne - DoW 08-03-1902 Klerksdorp, and buried there. He must be on a family headstone, shame there is not a shot of it.

Hexham is reachable by train for me, probably next year.

Yes, invaliding more likely, he doesn't appear in the Shipping Lists as being invalided, but that is not proof he wasn't.