Durham Chronicle 09/01/1942 reports:-
Commanding Officer Found Dead in his Bedroom
"Duty with him meant everything" says Coroner
Holder of the Distinguished Service Order and for 18 months ADC to Lord Hardinge when Viceroy of India, Lieut. Colonel John Ord Cobbald Hasted, Officer Commanding an Infantry Training Corps in the Northern Command was found dead from gunshot wounds in his bedroom at the camp on Saturday night.
An open Bible was found near the body. "He was a man of deep religious feelings" said the Coroner at the inquest held on Tuesday when a verdict was returned of death from wounds self inflicted while the balance of his mind was disturbed
A Beloved Officer
Many years service with D.L.I.
The tragic discovery occasioned profound regret in the camp and indeed throughout the Northern Command for Colonel Hasted was beloved alike by officers and rankers because of his stirling character, fine sporting qualities and a sincere regard for the men who served under him.
Son of the late Mr J.E.H. Hasted of the Madras Police and aged 51 he was educated at Cheltenham College and Sandhurst and had many years of service with the Durham Light Infantry. A.D.C. to the then Viceroy of India from November 1914 to March 1916 he was Adjutant to the 1st Battalion the Durham Light Infantry from 1917 to 1919 and awarded the D.S.O. and mentioned in despatches for services on the North West Frontier of India and in Mesopotamia where he was attached to the Leicester Regiment.
For the most part, however Colonel Hasted's military career was linked with the Faithful Durhams. After the Great War he took part in the Afghan War. Then for two years he was Adjutant of the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the D.L.I. before resuming the Adjutancy of the 1st Battalion and was appointed to the command of the 2nd Battalion in 1936.
Successful producer of the Northern Command tattoo at Ravensworth in 1934 and one of the pioneers of the D.L.I. Prisoners of war Fund he was an enthusiastic sportsman and took a deep interest in everything associated with the regiment in which he served with such conspicuous ability. He is survived by a widow and one son.
The inquest
At the inquest on Tuesday evidence of identification was given by John Barret Hasted 20 year old son and a 2nd Lieutenant in the R.A. who said he last saw his father alive on October 8. His home address was 8 Warren Hill, Woodbridge, Suffolk. His father and he corresponded regularly and from the last letter he received from him on December 29 he seemed quite happy and settled.
Witness knew of no reason why his father should do anything to himself. He was happy in his work and everything was all right so far as he knew. The son recalled that some years ago his father said he had a horror of becoming weak and ill and giving trouble to people. He said that he would rather die than do that.
Batman's Discovery
Shook him by the shoulder
Private Robert Ludlow, batman to the deceased said that when he awakened Colonel Hasted at 7.5am on Saturday he appeared quite normal. Witness asked him if he was going out and deceased replied that he did not think he was because he had a lot of work to do. "I advised him to try and get out for an hour or two" said Ludlow. "He asked me to leave the gun and cartridges saying that he might try to shoot duck." He had a sporting gun in his room. Witness saw him on parade at 9.45am.
Explaining that he was away from the camp from 2pm to 9.45pm, Ludlow said that on returning he went first to the barrack room and then to the Colonel's room. He opened the door and found a light was burning. He expected to see the colonel sitting at his desk
"I pushed the door wide open and looking in, saw him lying on the floor near the bed. His sports gun was beside him. I did not appreciate what had happened. I shook him by the shoulder and asked what was the matter. I did not receive any reply. I picked up the gun and saw that one of the cartridges had been discharged. I reported the matter to the officer on duty."
Witness said he had acted as batman to Colonel Hasted from 1929 to 1935 and again in recent months and had completed eight years service with him that day. He had noticed nothing peculiar about his commanding officer of late except he was sometimes quieter than usual. Colonel Hasted was devoted to his work and was conscientious.
The son, recalled, identified the writing on an envelope and documents (produced) as that of his father who he said had deep religious feelings without parading them.
Major Ralph Tubbs stated that he left the officers mess between 9.20 and 9.30pm to return to his bedroom which was next but one to that of Colonel hasted. The Colonel's bedroom door was ajar and his dog was in the passage. "Just as I was patting the dog" he said "I heard a noise in the colonel's room. It was the noise of something light, like a screen falling"
Witness did not investigate the matter but went to his own bedroom and worked until 11 pm when he learned of the colonel's death.
Witness replying further to to the Coroner said the noise he heard was nothing like a shot otherwise he would have gone into the room.
Very Tired
The Coroner: Suppose a shot had been fired in that room you were bound to have heard it? "That depends upon the position of the muzzle. Normally a shot fired clear would be heard distinctly and I would have recognised it but if the barrel was pressed closely into something I would not have recognised it."
Majot Tubbs proceeding said he last saw Colonel hasted about 2.30pm. He was then quite normal but appeared to be very tired. Witness had been closely associated with him in his duties in the last 18 months. He never spared himself and put work in front of everything. He had consistently over worked himself.
Coroner: I think it is common knowledge that he was a very fine soldier with a very fine record. "Yes."
Has he recently suffered some pain in his ear "About five months ago he suffered very severe pain from an abcess in the ear but refused to go to hospital."
Sporting Gun Found
P.C. Stephens stated that the bedroom was in perfect order. In it was a 12 bore sporting gun with a double barrel and upon the table was a Bible opened at St John's Gospel (Chapters 2 and 3) Witness said he was of the opinion that the colonel was sitting on the bed holding the barrel of the gun pressed against his body with the left hand and that the trigger was pulled with the right hand. Witness was handed a letter addressed to Major Willoughby.
A medical report from Dr D.M. O'Flagherty was to the effect that death was due to shock following severe injuries to the heart and lungs caused by gunshot wounds.
National Tragedy
Tribute to a Gallant Gentleman
The Coroner, summing up, said the death of Colonel Hasted was a good deal more than a family or regimental loss. It was a national tragedy. That a man of his experience and distinction should meet that tragic end was a matter of most hurtful regret and he took that opportunity of expressing sincere sympathy with the widow, son, other relatives and friends.
He proceeded So far as the facts of Colonel Hasted's death are concerned, I should deprecate very deeply any thought that there is a sensational atmosphere about it, inasmuch as there is nothing which has not been disclosed.
It may well be that there were facts and circumstances in this man's life which were of a private character and personal to him alone. It is not part of my duty to pry into matters of that kind. If I am satisfied with the material facts which came to light it seems to me that it would be almost impertinent curiosity to take the matter further.
Remarkable Record
I have formed a certain and very definite conclusion in this case. The deceased man had a remarkable record. I have had the opportunity of seeing details of it. He was a very distinguished soldier and a very gallant gentleman a man who had served as ADC to the Viceroy of India and a man who was engaged in most responsible work in this camp; indeed the very type of man that this country needs and values at this time. His passing will be mourned by many of those who have had the advantage of his assistance and served under him because he was a good deal more than a colonel training infantry. He had many activities.
I am satisfied that he went far outside the scope of his military duties. He was loved and honoured by everyone with whom he came in contact. What then is the explanation of this dreadful happening? That Colonel Hasted took his own life I cannot have the slightest doubt. Nor have I any doubt as to the state of his mind when he did it. Colonel Hasted was not the type of man who was going to take the coward's way out. That was the very last thing in the world he would do.
Faced Death 100 Times
He was a man who had faced death in the heat of battle a hundred times. He faced death in the end with equally calm courage and equanimity. It is evident from what Major Tubbs has told me that this poor man has been putting everything he possessed into his work that the strain gradually became unbearable and that it got him down.
Even his own servant on the very day of the colonel's death tried to persuade him to go out and leave his work for a period. Even then he was apparently so devoted to duty that that he was going to work as he apparently did late into the night. There is also a history of some physical trouble of a character that would have got most men down but not this man. He carried on in obvious pain although friends and fellow officers persuaded him to take a rest. Duty with him meant everything.
Continuing the Coroner said he would not feel that he was performing his duty adequately if he did not put on record his personal view of the matter that this brave man died as he lived in harness.
Deep religious feelings
Alluding to the document which Colonel Hasted left, the Coroner said it seemed to him that no useful purpose would be served by making it public. "I am satisfied" he said "that the colonel was a man of deep religious feelings. A Bible was open on his table, rather reminiscent perhaps of one of our great national heroes, who upon his deathbed said Hand me the Book there is but one. In this document he remembers friends with generosity. He remembers even his dog to which he was so obviously devoted.
I come to the conclusion without the slightest hesitation that the balance of Colonel Hasted's mind was disturbed; that there is not the slightest reflection cast against him because of the way he died; that he leaves behind him what I consider an untarnished reputation and that in the word of another gallant soldier he leaves "a white, unbroken glory."
John Ord Cobbald Hasted was cremated at Darlington and is listed on D40.064, he is remembered at Brancepeth on B151.07
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 1
