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Name: SINCLAIR, William Francis
Birth Date: 24.6.1879 Isle of Wight
Death Date: 29.7.1927 Haifa, Palestine
First Date: 1904
Last Date: 1905
Profession: Gaoler
Area: Mombasa
Married: In Cairo 1911 Katherine Schweibinz b. 2 Apr 1881 Allmendshoffen, Germany, d. 24 Nov 1968 Eastbourne
Children: Marion Caroline (25 June 1909 Zagazig, Egypt-7 Sep 1991 Great Easton, Essex); Susanna (1910 Zagazig-1912); David Francis (1912 Zagazig-1942); Douglas Alan (19 May 1913 Eastbourne-1971); Gordon Leonard (15 Aug 1916 Eastbourne-2005)
Book Reference: North
General Information:
North - Temporary appt. as Gaoler of Mombasa Prison 6/11/1904; arrested for attempted murder after - 'shooting from the fort in all directions' when drunk 15/2/1905; attempted murder charge withdrawn but sentenced to 3 months' vigorous imprisonment, fined 150 Rs & dismissed 23/2/1905
Jeremy Wagener (grandson): The Boer War: On 28 January 1901 Sinclair joined Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts in Pretoria, SA as a lieutenant aged 21 on five shillings a day. He ended the war commanding a squadron of mounted cavalry. He then went to Kenya. After he left Kenya he spent time in Egypt and Cairo, and then fought in World War 1. In August or September 1914 Sinclair volunteered and was granted a temporary commission as a lieutenant in the 5th Dragoon Guards. In 1915 there occurred an incident in the Mess when he was accused by fellow officers of dishonesty regarding his commission and the transport of horses in France. Aspersions were also made about his German-born wife. He was placed under arrest for striking another officer but later released. It was decided not to proceed with a Court Martial after references were made to Sinclair’s experience in the trenches and his wounding.
After that war he returned to the Middle East and was one of the founding officers of the Palestine Police and became District Commandant, Northern District based in Haifa. He died there of dysentery aged only 48 in 1927 leaving his wife and four children.