Vaughan, Thomas 1907 Aug 23rd Bulford
Sudden Death of a Soldier
An inquest was held on Wednesday in last week at Bulford Camp by Mr R A Wilson, coroner for the district, touching the death of Thomas Henry Vaughan, aged 21 years, a shoeing smith in the 123rd Battery, RFA.
Edwin Ralph Pratt, a sergeant in the Battery, said that on Tuesday morning, at about 6.50, he went into the barrack-room, and saw Vaughan lying on his bed, and told him to get up, which he did. About half-an-hour later witness was again called to the barrack-room, where he found Vaughan recovering from a fainting fit. Witness sent for some brandy, and left the room, but was again called and found Vaughan in an unconscious condition and dying. The deceased had been doing regular work, and had not been in hospital for some time.
James Nicholson, a driver in the battery, said he was in the room with Vaughan on the previous morning. When called by the sergeant deceased got up and went to the stables where he answered to his name ; then he returned to the barrack-room and lay down on his bed. Witness suddenly heard a crash, and found that Vaughan had fallen off his bed. He attended to him, and he recovered, getting on the bed again, and saying that he did not want to go to the hospital. He took a little brandy and became worse. Witness went for a stretcher to take Vaughan to the hospital, but when he came back he found he was dead. He had been with the deceased for three months in the room, but had not heard him complain of any illness.
Captain William Curran, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, said he saw the deceased just after seven o’clock the previous morning, and he found no external injuries to account for death. He had since made a post mortem examination, and from what he found he came to the conclusion that death was due to syncope, arising from heart disease.
The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.
Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 