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Dr. G. Danford Thomas held an inquest yesterday at Hampstead Dispensary on the body of James Jones Homeyard, aged 31, an ex-sergeant in the 7th Dragoon Guards, who served during the South African war, and was found dead on Hampstead Heath on Sunday morning from the effects of a revolver shot. - The deceased's mother stated that her son returned from South Africa in June, 1902, and took part with his regiment in the King's Coronation procession. He left Exeter for London in search of work, which he failed to find. He was an active man, and chafed under his enforced idleness. The Hon. Robert Ward, brother of the Earl of Dudley, and the deceased's former officer, had maintained her son in London, and had done his best to secure him employment. The deceased grieved to be a burden to anyone. - The following letter was found on the body: - "I have not, up to the present, received my medals, which were hardly won. My most sincere regret for the trouble and worry I have caused to the Hon. R. Ward, to say nothing of considerable expense, which I hope to cut short before to-night is over, for which I hope he will forgive me. I came to London about eight months ago, quite willing to work for my living, and I have not done anything since, and I do not see any prospect of getting anything. I have been thinking of this way out of it for some time......God help my poor parents. - J. J. H." - The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide while of unsound mind."

Nottingham Evening Post, Friday 3rd July 1903

MR. MANSFIELD
To ask the Secretary of State for War has his attention been called to the suicide of James Jones Homeyard, an ex-sergeant of 7th Dragoon Guards, who served during the South African War, and who left a letter to say that he had not yet received his medals; will he state the cause of the delay in issuing medals to the Reserve and Auxiliary forces when both the King's and Queen's medals have been issued to the Regulars; will he also say if the fresh medal rolls spoken of in the Army Order relating to the issue of tire King's medal have been issued to all concerned, and, if not, who is responsible for the delay; and will he explain why medals have not been issued to those regiments of which the Commanding Officers have rendered full and amended medal rolls, and why medals have not been issued to those men who have applied for them as directed when they were discharged; and, if the medals are not ready, where has the delay been caused.

(Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) I am not aware of the unfortunate case mentioned, but no application for this man's medal can be traced. As I have already explained to the House, medal rolls are dealt with in order of receipt from units, and irrespectively of whether the men of the units have passed to the Reserve or not; further, only a certain number of rolls can be checked at a time, and there has been no delay. A general supply of medal roll forms for the King's medal was made to all concerned. The medal roll of the 7th Dragoon Guards was sent on the 13th May to Woolwich for the necessary action.

Hansard, 23rd July 1903

Thank Berenice.

His papers are on FmP and make interesting reading. Enlisted 1887, discharged 05-10-1899, five days later he re-joins the Reserves and is called up for war service. On re-joining the Reserves he signs an agreement to say that his liable to be employed as an officer's groom. Which it appears he was, the "Hon Robert Ward" is Robert Arthur Ward, IY employed on the Staff.

Homeyard was not a model soldier, breaking out of barracks, fighting in hospital, back chat to NCOs and officers. He spent some time in hospital for venereal diseases while in India. Could this have contriubted to his mental breakdown?

On his return from SA he refused to sign his discharge papers as he said they indicated he had been paid all that was owing to him. He maintained he was owed good conduct pay from his time in SA - not many fleshpots on the veld.

Homeyard is listed on the 7DG medal roll but his medals were not issued with the regiment's, perhaps because he was employed outside of the regiment. The medal roll notes they were issued in September 1903, after his death.

Very interesting reading. Yet there must have been some good in him for the Hon. Robert to have done his best to help him post-war.

I would think that the parents applied for his medals; there are still Homeyards living in Exeter.

I wonder if the Hon. Robert paid the funeral expenses, and where would he have been buried? Hampstead or Exeter?