Guest 3723- Registered: 5 Aug 2020
- Posts: 1
#1
I wonder if anyone can help... I am doing some research for a book and having read a little about this in a press report - I wonder if there is any further information to confirm it - likely in the middle of the 19th Century.
Re: Attempted suicide by a soldier - Joseph Mahaig from the battlements at Dover
Joseph Mahaig was a sergeant in The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) 103rd I believe.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#2
These are two FB groups I can think of that might be able to help, the second one knows a lot about the military from many years ago.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DoverHistoryPages/
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Pablo- Registered: 21 Mar 2018
- Posts: 614
#3
Also Soldiers of the Dover Garrison Facebook group- run by Phil Eyden, one of our eminent local historians.
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Pablo- Registered: 21 Mar 2018
- Posts: 614
#4
From the group I mentioned:
Okay - I wonder if anyone would have any information about this... (specifically the suicide attempt at Dover)
From the West Surrey Times - Saturday 14 November 1863
It is stated that Joseph Mahaig has on two previous occasions attempted suicide, once by jumping from the battlements at Dover, and he also attempted to shoot himself. He was about to proceed to Ceylon as Musketry Instructor to a corps of rifles on that island and had obtained four days leave of absence for the purpose of getting married before leaving England.
*** I assume if the suicide attempt is correct - it would have been between 1850-1863 ***
There are many press reports from inquests and the trial that Joseph Yonkin Mahaig was in the 3rd Buffs BUT in one of the letters that he wrote, the press state "Late of Her Majesty's 103rd Regiment." So, I don't know if he transferred regiments or if this was an error.
He had served in China and had received a medal for this.
I also have "William Ireland stated that he was Sergeant Major of the 3rd Buffs, in the same battalion as Mahaig, now stationed at Aldershot." (which underlines the 3rd Buffs.
I am researching for a book on true crimes, and I have a lot of information about the death of Elizabeth Waterer when with Joseph Mahaig at Guildford in a room in a public house etc... (I do have the details if anyone is interested).
BUT... I also read about the possibility that Mahaig may have tried to commit suicide before AND that he had 4 days leave to get married, which puts a different slant to them committing suicide jointly (he survived and was deported and died in Australia) as they couldn't get married as it was frowned upon as a non-commissioned officer.
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