HMS Wolverine, a corvette serving in North American waters. On 9 February 1867, he and another midshipman, Marcus McCausland, were court-martialled for breaking into the Naval Yard at Bermuda. On the night of the incident, the two men had been ashore drinking and upon their return had been refused entry at the main gate as they did not have the required passes. Both men admitted they were guilty of the offence and were discharged from the Navy as a result of the incident. Following this, Boyes suffered from depression and alcoholism. He subsequently moved to New Zealand to join two of his brothers on their sheep station at Kawarau Falls near Queenstown, but after his father died, he suffered a nervous breakdown. On 26 January 1869, Boyes committed suicide jumping to his death from the window of a house in Dunedin. He was aged 22 years and 2 months. The official cause of death was listed as delirium tremens. He was buried locally in the Dunedin Southern Cemetery with a stone at his head and feet, though on 4 May 1954 the Dunedin branch of the Royal New Zealand Returned Services' Association (RSA), in consequence of his VC, reburied him in the servicemen's section of Andersons Bay Cemetery in Anglican Southern Section, Block 6, Plot 24. The medal Between 1978 and 1998, the medal was held by Cheltenham College. The Boyes V.C. sold for 51,700 pounds at auction by Spink, the auctioneers in London, on behalf of Cheltenham College for the purpose of establishing a scholarship in Boyes' name. Lord Michael Ashcroft bought the medal at the auction in 1998 for his collection. It is now in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum. Commemoration A series of posters of Duncan Boyes VC and other medal recipients was put on view on the Victoria line in London on 11 November 2004. See also Anglo-Japanese relations References External links Duncan BOYES VC – a man more sinned against than sinning? (biography and background) Find a Grave entry for Duncan Boyes Mention of the suicide of Boyes in The Cruise of the Flying Squadron 1869–70 by Marcus McCausland 1846 births 1869 deaths British expatriates in Japan People educated at Cheltenham College People from Cheltenham British recipients of the Victoria Cross Royal Navy officers Suicides by jumping in New Zealand Alcohol-related deaths in New Zealand Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria