Born c.1828.
Qualified at Edinburgh in April of 1846.
1851 Census
Tinkle Street, Malton, Yorks.
William Gavin, 23, lodger, unmarried, Veterinary Surgeon, born Edinburgh, Scotland.
Veterinary Surgeon in the 17th Lancers: 18th of December 1854.
A letter exists relating to his becoming the Veterinary Surgeon of the regiment:
"War Office,
31st January 1855.
To the General Commanding in the Crimea
"I have the honour to inform you that a comment has been made by the Principal Veterinary Surgeon that there will not be any objection by him, or on the part of the Secretary of State for War, to Mr. William Gavin, who has been doing duty as a paid candidate in the 2nd Dragoons being promoted to be a commissioned Veterinary Surgeon in the 17th Light Dragoons, vice Vet. Surgeon Constant, transferred to the 5th Regiment of Dragoon Guards.
(Signed) Major General Yorke."
On duty with the Land Transport Corps from the 10th of May 1855.
Veterinary Surgeon Gavin served the Eastern campaign from the 2nd of February 1855, including the Siege of Sebastopol. (Medal and Clasp and the Turkish Medal.)
His brother, Dr. Hector Gavin, was sent out to the Crimea by Lord Panmure as a Sanitary Inspector to see what could be done to improve the hospital facilities, etc., and he shared a hut with his brother, William Gavin.
On the 28th of April 1855 William Gavin was reputed to have been playing with a revolver and by some accident it exploded, the ball striking Dr. Gavin in the groin and lodging in his back. After being in great agony for some three hours he expired, aged 39.
In a published letter the Court of Enquiry stated that:
"The evidence it had received had perfectly satisfied them of the nature of the accident by which Doctor Gavin came to his death. In their opinion Mr William Gavin stands completely exonerated from any fault — a charge of carelessness even could not be brought against him...
He adored his brother, the Doctor, whom I should state made a deposition stating the facts to be that he had offered to exchange pistols with his brother and handed one to him without telling him it was loaded..."
Just over a month later, he was himself dead. William Gavin died in Camp Crimea, "of disease", on the 9th of June 1855.
A single man, no details of any next-of-kin are shown.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol and the Turkish Medal.
Died in Camp Crimea, "of disease", on the 9th of June 1855.
A single man, no details of any next-of-kin are shown.
Census information for 1851 kindly provided by Chris Poole.