CUNDY, James Henry
| Service Number: | 391 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 January 1916, Armidale, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Armidale, New South Wales, 2 January 1898 |
| Home Town: | Wollomombi, Armidale Dumaresq, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Suicide (strychnine), Hillgrove, New South Wales, 3 July 1922, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Armidale Memorial Fountain, Wollombi & District Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 391, 33rd Infantry Battalion, Armidale, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 May 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 391, 33rd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Marathon embarkation_ship_number: A74 public_note: '' | |
| 4 May 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 391, 33rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Marathon, Sydney | |
| 28 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 391, 2nd Pioneer Battalion |
Death
Death by Strychnine- Wollomombi Fatality.
A sad fatality occurred at the Anchor Hotel Wollomombi, on Monday evening when a young man named James Henry Cundy, aged 25, a returned soldier, poisoned himself by taking strychnine. A coroner returned a verdict of suicide. The Muswellbrook Chronicle, Tuesday 11 July 1922
Submitted 2 April 2016 by Dorothy M. Griffey
Biography
"DEATH BY STRYCHNINE. WOLLOMOMBI FATALITY.
A well-known resident of Jeogla, named James Henry Cundy, succumbed at the Anchor Hotel, Wollomombi, on Monday night, after a sudden and suspicious illness. An inquest was conducted by the Hillgrove Coroner (Mr. W. Morgan, J.P.) at the hotel on Tuesday.
Constable Kennedy said he saw deceased at Wollomombi the previous afternoon about 5 o'clock. He was sitting on the Post Office steps. Deceased appeared despondent and had a dejected appearance. Witness returned to Hillgrove at 8 o'clock the same evening. Later, in consequence of a telephone communication, he returned to Wollomombi, arriving there about 9 p.m. He there saw the dead body of deceased on a bed in a bedroom at the Anchor Hotel. The body was quite warm and fully dressed. He could find no marks of violence. One full tin and one partly full tin of strychnine was handed witness by the licensee, Mr. Snow. The
deceased appeared to be quite sober when he spoke to witness earlier in the evening. Thomas Henry Cundy, laborer, Jeogla, said the dead body was that of his son. The last time he saw him alive was about six months ago. He was then going to work at Wongwibinda. He knew of no reason why his son should take his life. He was a single man, 22 years of age, and a returned soldier. He was possessed of a war bond worth £80, and owned a horse, saddle, and bridle. Thomas Snow, licensee of the Anchor Hotel, Wollomombi, said deceased came to the hotel on Saturday, in company with his brother Isaac, and remained until Monday evening. He had a few drinks, but was quite sensible and sober all the time. About 6 o'clock on Monday evening he came into, the parlor
and sat down and said, "Good bye, Mr Snow. I have taken a dose of strychnine." Witness took him into a bedroom and told him to lie down. Witness asked him where he got the strychnine, and he replied, "I have plenty in my pocket." Witness put his hand in his
pocket and took out a parcel containing two tins, which he subsequently handed to the police. Witness at once gave deceased hot water and salt and hot water and mustard. Deceased vomited quite a lot, but then took several fits. Witness asked him to try and
save himself. "I did all in my power to save him," added witness, "but he died about a quarter to nine that night." Where deceased had been sitting in the parlor witness found some strychnine crystals. Before he died deceased asked witness to tell his father
that he was to have his war bond, and his horse, saddle, and bridle. Isaac Cuudy, laborer, Wollomorabi, said that on Saturday last he came to Wolloraombi with his brother. They had been drinking, but kept sober. At about 6 p.m. on Saturday his brother told him he felt sick. Mr. Snow and witness took him to his bedroom, and deceased told them he had taken strychnine. Mr. Snow gave him an emetic, but deceased later took three or four fits and died some time afterwards. Witness did not send for a doctor, as he thought it useless to do so. The Coroner found that the said Jas. Henry Cundy, at the Anchor Hotel, Wollomombi, in the district of Hillgrove, on the 3rd day of July, 1922, died from the effects of a certain deadly poison, known as strychnine, wilfully administered by himself." - from the Armidale Chronicle 08 Jul 1922 (nla.gov.au)