New Article on the Swanson Marginalia in Ripperologist 128

[Lechmere]

Yes slightly possible - but the 4th Rifle Brigade were involved in the opening engagements in the campaign, in 1878. It was part of the Peshawar Valley Field Force which was withdrawn to India in the summer of 1879. The Battle of Kandahar was in September 1880.
But...

Other regiments were represented on the march through individuals who, for various reasons, found themselves attached to Roberts' relieving column. These included: 6th Dragoon Guards (1), 10th Hussars (3), 8th Foot (2), 9th Foot (6), 51st Foot (1), 59th Foot (9), 65th Foot (4), 67th Foot (5), 81st Foot (1), Rifle Brigade - 4th Battalion (5), chaplains (2), press (2), postmaster (1), Staff (79), Royal Engineers (14 - some included in staff) and Medical Officers (abt. 30).

[Steve S]

Yes,that's the type of thing I was thinking of.....Not saying it's even a probable explanation,just possible....Chris,don't forget the Royal Marines!..I may be getting involved in 1812 re-enactment this summer.............

[ChrisGeorge]

Yes,that's the type of thing I was thinking of.....Not saying it's even a probable explanation,just possible....Chris,don't forget the Royal Marines!..I may be getting involved in 1812 re-enactment this summer.............

Hi Steve

I am certainly not forgetting the Royal Marine units that fought under Ross, although I was trying to keep my answer to the British Army men who came to the Chesapeake to show that some of the personnel were soldiers detached from other units.

Chris

[Steve S]

Hi Steve

I am certainly not forgetting the Royal Marine units that fought under Ross, although I was trying to keep my answer to the British Army men who came to the Chesapeake to show that some of the personnel were soldiers detached from other units.

Chris

I knew you wouldn't.............

[Lechmere]

I found the names of four members of the 4th Bn Rifle who went to Kandahar:
Capt. W.W Hammond; Lt. J. Sherston (also shown as Sherstone); 1950 Pte. David Chilton and 2254 Pte. William Gill.

[Steve S]

Another little gap filled............

[Lechmere]

The gap just widened - my medal was awarded to 1934 private W Close!

[Fleetwood Mac]

I see some wrestle with the apparent contradiction of a highly respected, highly professional Detective making some highly subjective, highly erroneous and very controversial decisions.

If anyone should care to read up on the role played by Assistant Chief Constable George Oldfield, Senior Detective in the West Riding Police Force, at the time of the Yorkshire Ripper murders, we can see that a well respected and highly professional detective can make some deplorable, in some cases disastrously subjective decisions.

It is not doing Swanson an injustice to accept he was human.Every coin has two sides.

Regards, Jon S.

But that's not what you're saying.

Oldfield made a monumental error of judgement. That does not make him 'only human'.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, granted, and that is only human; but to make the decision that Oldfield made he is at best a poor decision maker and at worst grossly incompetent.

Swanson clearly believed that the suspect was the murderer. We simply do not know what grounds he had to make such a confident statement, but to say he's only human, just like Oldfield, doesn't wash, becauser we know that Oldfield's decision could never be excused by being 'only human'.