Military History

Charles is listed as dying on 11 Jun 1917. His pension card states that he was "murdered by a colleague". A newspaper article in the Yorkshire Evening Post on 12 Jun 1917 describes the incident and is transcribed below.

MURDER CHARGE AGAINST A SOLDIER AT RIPON

PRISONERS CONFESSION

At the Ripon North Riding Police Court today Arthur Peacock, and a native of Stockton, was charged with the wilful murder of a comrade in the same Battalion named Charles John Yates's who belonged to Stratford-on-Avon.

It appears that last night Peacock and Yates went for a walk together through Mackenshaw Wood and subsequently Peacock returned and volunteered the information that he had murdered a man, at the same time producing a blood stained razor.

He was detained and an officer and a detachment of men were sent to investigate, when they found the dead body of Yates lying in a field adjoining Mackenshaw Wood, the mans throat being cut from ear to ear.

Peacock was handed over to the civilian police and on being charged with wilful murder the accused replied "There was no malice, something suddenly came over me"

The Bench remanded Peacock for a week.

On July 19th 1917 the Bradford Daily Telegraph reported that Arthur Peacock appeared at Leeds West Riding Assizes that day and a Jury found him guilty of the murder of Charles but that he was insane at the same and he was ordered to be detained during His Majesty's pleasure.