Suicides During WWII

[paulmcmillan]

Errol

Thanks for that further detail, no not a 'big' problem at all - except for those affected at the time

Paul

[Rich Allenby]

is putting the names and circumstances regarding specific suicides on the internet perhaps the best thing or most clever thing to do given that their relations could be reading this posting or infact hit upon it through google by accident. Such an event is hard enough for families to overcome at the time without a vague google search dropping them in on such information at the drop of a hat.

any thoughts anyone

rich

[alain charpentier]

Hello,
And what about all those who after the end of the war did end to their life because they could not cope with the civilian life after five years of war ?
It could be interesting to investigate this way too .

Alain.

[Doug Cuthbertson]

is putting the names and circumstances regarding specific suicides on the internet perhaps the best thing or most clever thing to do given that their relations could be reading this posting or infact hit upon it through google by accident. Such an event is hard enough for families to overcome at the time without a vague google search dropping them in on such information at the drop of a hat.

any thoughts anyone

rich

Yes, Rich,
I totally agree with you. This thread has sickened me. Why anyone would want to do research on this subject amazes me. Furthermore, why should a serviceman or woman be made infamous by publishing their name. They had their reasons for their decision and that should be the end of it.
Regards,
Doug.

[Franek Grabowski]

This thread has sickened me. Why anyone would want to do research on this subject amazes me.

I am always surprised by comments like this. Air war was not fought by machines but by a human beings. That happens they suffer not only from physical wounds, and I am awared of just too many cases of former airmen unable to cope with their lives, getting drunk to death, etc. I do not think that such a research shows any disrespect towards airmen. Quite to the contrary it show s the true nature of war, not seen from an armchair.

[Bart FM Droog]

I agree with Franek. And I don't think anybody who's committed suicide is automatically to be considered as 'infamous'.

It's my feeling that most of us want to get a better picture of what happened during WW2 - the suicides are an integral part of it.

Regards,

Bart

[Errol Martyn]

I agree with Franek and Bart.

For many years suicide was treated by the community at large as as something shameful and not to be talked about (though newspaper reports on inquests, for instance, have in the past named names and circumstances, though not often the reasons). The point is that unless discussion is opened up understanding, and thereby prevention, cannot follow. Having said that, it is a subject that needs to be treated in a sensitive manner.

Errol

[dean]

I agree with the three members above.

For too long many people have treated this as a taboo subject and should not be any different from any other person in history, such as Hitler or Vincent Van Gogh, who died from self harm.

As for WHY anyone would want to research this subject, having asked the original question about the number of RAAF members who died by their own hand I am just trying to establish the number, which I suspect is only small, as a part of my broader research on ALL RAAF MEMBERS BEING KILLED IN RAAF SERVICE (1939-45 sections only) which happens to include the circumstances of how they died.

OR SHOULD I OMIT THESE PEOPLE FROM MY RESEARCH ALTOGETHER? Now that's really honouring them isn't it!

We hear more about service men and women dying from suicide as a result of psychological problems today than we, or our parents ever did, about those WWII veterans....and there are more services available today than there ever was in 1946.

And yes, I agree Errol, more sensitivity is required when dealing with this subject more than any other as it is far more personal. If treated with respect there is no reason why we cannot talk about this subject.

[Christopher Elsom]

Looking at father's history with RAF Y services in "Torch", I came across the records of another station in the UK.
Bound in the same volume .Perhaps Beaumanor, Chicksands or some other high intensity WAAF listening post. At the end of every month there was a medical report."4 new cases of Hysteria" was a typical note. Browsing through it got very serious and an investigation was launched.
I was not researching that at the time so my memories are all I can offer.

Not Suicide as such, but ill health certainly.

[Scarletspitfire]

This Forum, like so many of its kind, is a wonderful resource, full of knowledge, experience and opinions that users wish to share. The subject of Suicide is a senistive one and should be treated with respect. However, as other members have stated, it is important that we record as much detail as possible about individual losses in order that such information is not lost to the passage of time. A great deal of time and effort is often spent in detailing Combat Losses and very often those that perished by Illness, accident or their own hand are forgotten. The loss of every man or woman, whatever the cause, whilst in the service of their country, must not be forgotten. This is the role of the researcher, whatever his area of interest may be.

This, of course, is just my personal opinion and the opinion of others should be respected.

Regards

Paul Johnson