From the Luton News 22nd February 1917. SOLDIER'S WIFE'S SUICIDE. Young Mother Attempts to Strangle her Child. Sad Tragedy at Pepperstock. A particularly sad case of suicide following an attempt by a young mother - a soldier's wife - to strangle one of her two children, occurred at Pepperstock, within a couple of miles or so of Luton, during the weekend.  The unfortunate woman who took her own life was the wife of a soldier by name Ethel Margaret Field, 29 years of age, whose husband is a private in the R.A.M.C. and is stationed at Clacton. The daughter of Mr G Bates, a well known farmer and miller, residing near Leighton Buzzard, the deceased was known as a bright and cheerful person and she appeared to be quite happy in her home with her two children, a boy aged four and a girl aged two. But it seems that although generally bright and cheerful, she had suffered for years from an injury sustained as a child to her back and latterly this had troubled her very much.  In a letter received by her mother only on Friday last, she complained of the pain and wrote "I can't go on like it."  The deceased also wrote to Dr Bone and he drove out to see her on Saturday afternoon and at her request arranged to go again during the present week.  On Sunday morning the children were heard crying and finding the door locked, neighbours forced an entry and were staggered to find Mrs Field lying on the kitchen floor dead.  A piece of card was discovered tied twice round her throat and the little boy was in a semi-conscious condition, a cord also being around his throat.  Needless to say, he was immediately attended to and with the removal of the pressure upon the throat he very quickly recovered - in fact, he very soon appeared to be little the worse for his experience. Dr Bone, who had been in attendance on the woman only the day previously, was summoned from Luton but of course, he could do nothing.  As the house was situated just over the border of Bedfordshire in the county of Herts, the inquest was arranged by Mr Lovell Smeathman the coroner for the Hemel Hempstead district and was held by his deputy, Mr H E Ellis at the Baptist Schoolroom, Pepperstock on Monday.  Mr Maurice Hawes was foreman of the jury.  Pte Percy Field of the R.A.M.C., stationed at Clacton, gave evidence of identification and said deceased was 29 years of age.  He last saw her alive on November 18th the day when he left for the Army.  She was then in good health as far as he knew and enjoyed good health as a rule.  She was a cheerful person and never seem depressed.  They had been married about five years and had two children, one boy aged four and the girl two years. He had heard from his wife once or twice every week since he left.  She had written cheerfully until the last time when she said she was very queer and her back was bad.  He got the letter last Friday at dinnertime.  She also said that she was low-spirited and that she did not think she would be able to keep it up.  George Bates, miller of Grange Mill, Heath, said the deceased was his daughter.  She came home for Christmas last with her two children and stayed until the end of January. She was very cheerfujl then and had always been a cheerful bright girl. He had heard from her since. His wife had received a letter from her in which she complained of not being well (letter produced) last Friday.  When she was at school she was reaching up to take some clothes down and hurt the bottom on her back. She had complained of this occasionally since but more especially of late. Ada Louise Devis, wife of Sydney Devis, 113 New Cottages, Pepperstock, stated that she lived next door but one to Mrs Field. She saw deceased on Saturday and she then said she was not feeling well and complained of her back. She said she felt as if she must go to bed but couldn't because of her household duties. On Sunday morning between 11 and 12, witness's son told her he thought there was trouble  because someone had been to Mrs Field's house and could not get in and the children were crying.  Witness went and looked in the window and saw something on the ground which she thought might be Mrs Field. She called to Mr Brooks and they broke the window and got in. Mrs Field was dead and the little boy had a cord around his neck. Witness's husband took it off. Witness had noticed that the deceased was strange during the last fortnight. She said she heard noises and did not like being told that there weren't any.  She complained of her head and of her back. The little girl was quite alright and the boy was alright now. Walter Brooks, carpenter said that on Sunday morning in consequence of what Mrs Devis said to him, he went to Mrs Field's house, broke the window and got through. He saw Mrs Field lying quite dead on the floor with a cord tied tightly round her neck. He was going to untie it but when he found she was dead he left it for the Police. P.S. F. Wright, stationed at Markyate, deposed to being called to the house in question and found the deceased lying on her back on the brick floor in the kitchen, fully dressed. A cord was tied twice round the neck and in one knot. The woman was quite dead but still warm. The child Eric Field, aged about four, had marks round the neck and a swelling caused, he should say, from the cord mentioned by the witness Devis. The doctor arrived about two o'clock. Dr Bone of Luton, stated that he received a letter from Mrs Field asking him to go and see her on Saturday if possible. He called on Saturday afternoon between four and five o'clock. She seemed quite cheerful and well. He asked her about the back trouble of which she had complained and she said she had had an injury some 16 years before. He promised to go again in about a week but it did not strike him as of importance as she seemed quite well. On Sunday afternoon, he was starting out for some visits when he received a messaged to say Mrs Field had taken her liife and asking him to go. He went out and found the body lying as described. Death due to strangulation. The deceased made no complaint to him when he saw her on the Saturday as to the noises described by previous witness. He had no doubt that the deceased was suffering from hallucinations and had he heard of them when he saw her, he should have had her looked after. The jury returned a verdict of suicide during temporary insanity.