Gunner Alfred COX, 3489 RA 1870-92

[vssmith]

I am researching my gg grandfather Alfred Cox who joined the R.A. in 1870. According to his service records he was posted to India Nov 1882 and posted back home 23 February 1892. His record states he deserted Woolwich 19 may 1892. I have not been able to find any trace of him in England at all. I have recently been in touch with another descendant of Alfred's who said that he died from a virus on the ship home from India. Is there anyway I can verify this information? An army hospital form included with service records states non effective by desertion 17 May 1892. Also were the ships they travelled on army vessels?
Many thanks
Vanessa Smith

[crimea1854]

Hi Vanessa

I wondered if you had tried the Police Gazette around the date he deserted? I believe a description of the man was published together with details of his service; a full set of these are available at the British Library Newspaper Library in Colindale.

On the question of troop transports, the Royal Navy did have some ships, but during periods of conflict ships were hired in by the Admiralty. As an example, during the Crimean War P&O supplied seven ships as troop transports.

Martin

[Maureene]

Hi Vanessa

Given his years of service, you would expect Alfred Cox to be eligible for a pension, so it seems rather strange he would desert, unless there was a very significant reason for doing so, such as being court martialled, or facing civil criminal charges. If this were the case, he could have changed his name, or emigrated to a country such as Australia, New Zealand or Canada, or even gone back to India.

I don’t know anything about troop ship procedures, but it seems rather extraordinary that he could have died at sea, and yet his records say he arrived back in England. However, the link following is from this Forum and gives an example of a mistaken identity in the Boer War, caused by wearing someone else’s clothes with their identification number, so I guess anything is possible.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5031

Do you know the basis for the information that he died at sea?

Perhaps someone at Firepower, the Royal Artillery Museum may be able to offer some suggestions. It is located in Woolwich, south east London. It has a Library and Archive, and a research service. There is a charge for using the Library, and I assume for the research service also.

The webpage is http://www.firepower.org.uk. Unfortunately I can’t access it at present. I don’t know if this is my computer, or the website.

There is a Wikipedia link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firepower_ ... ery_Museum

Cheers
Maureen

[vssmith]

Firstly, thank you to Martin and Maureene for your help, online resources like this are fabulous when researching the military from Australia.
Alred Cox had his wife and children with him "on strength" and that he died from a virus had been passed down the family. Since my posting I have found a death for an Alfred Cox in June quarter of 1892 registered in Chelsea, so I have ordered this and eagerly awaiting its arrival.
If he had died shortly after arriving back in England am I right to assume this would of been on his record? Or once he is marked as deserted is his record then closed?
Thanking you again,
Vanessa