Arthur had seen active service in South Africa during the Second Boer War, serving in the 38th (High Wycombe) Company Imperial Yeomanry, and the Company had returned to England. They were stationed at Aldershot, probably waiting to be discharged, when he and another Yeoman were accidentally killed by a single rifle shot from a third Yeoman.
"The inquest on the two Yeomen who were accidentally shot by a private, named Cooper, at Aldershot yesterday, was opened to-day by the North Hants coroner. Cooper, who is about 34, and has seen twelve years' service with the Army in the Inniskilling Dragoons, looked ill, and appeared to be suffering from mental anguish. The two Imperial Yeomen who were shot were Private A. E. Bullock, native of Guernsey, a married man, with six children, and Private F. C. Hamblin, native of Bath, and son of the proprietor of the Commercial Hotel.
The evidence showed that a Private, named Young, found a miss-fire cartridge near the dust bin of Blenheim Barracks, and took it into the barracks room, where the deceased and Cooper were. Cooper was cleaning his rifle, and took up the cartridge, thinking it was a dummy. He placed the cartridge in the chamber and pulled the trigger. Both deceased men were playing cards close by, and the bullet, after passing through Bullock's head, struck Hamblin in the chest.
The jury returned a verdict of 'Accidental death.' "
(Evening Express [Cardiff], Thursday 27th February 1902]
Arthur isn't named on the Boer War memorial at St. Peter Port, but that would be because it's dedicated to "the officers and men belonging to Guernsey and Alderney who laid down their lives for their country in the South African War 1899-1902." The general practice at that time was to only record the names of those who died where the war was actually taking place.
Can anyone confirm or add to the information I have on Arthur?
