Robert Aldridge
Private 87384
35th Company Millbank
Royal Army Medical Corps

Division 46

Robert Aldridge is buried in a registered war grave with a CWGC war pattern headstone., number 5681. His tragic death, at the age of 38, at the hands of a patient was reported widely in the papers.

Mercury December 14 1918

“Private Aldridge was shot by Lieutenant Sidney Hume of the RAF and a patient at Latchmere House Military Hospital. Lieutenant Hume was repatriated in August and had been a patient since then. Hume was suffering from delusions. He alleged that he had been hypnotised by German doctors and that they had experimented upon him. He also said that hypnotism was going on at Latchmere. He had improved and his people were anxious for him to home. This was done several times with family taking and bringing him back. Three weeks ago the delusions became strongly marked  and he was placed under constant observation. The hospital was not aware that a revolver was in the institution. A verdict of ‘Wilful murder’ was returned. Private Aldridge was an orderly at Latchmere and formerly a porter at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.”