The exotically named Brigadier-General Sir Ormonde de l’Épée Winter, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO (15 January 1875 – 13 February 1962), was a British Army officer and author who, after service in the First World War, was responsible for intelligence operations in Ireland during the Anglo-Irish War. He later joined the British Fascists and fought for the Finnish Army in the Winter War.
Deep in his past lies a sorry tale that took place on the banks of the Ouse in Biddenham.
As reported by the Daily Mail on July 11th and 12th, 1904 …
On the banks of the Ouse at Biddenham, a favourite resort near Bedford, a foolish piece of play on Saturday, July 9, ended in tragedy. A boy of fifteen was struck dead, and an army officer has been arrested.
The officer is Captain Ormonde Winter, of the Royal Field Artillery, who has been staying at Bedford. He rowed to Biddenham on Saturday with a friend, and they left the boat by the side of the river while they strolled in the adjacent meadows. During their absence some boys played with the boat, but decamped on the reappearance of the two gentlemen. In his haste to escape one of the boys, Sidney Oakins, aged fifteen, of Margetts Road, Kempston, left his boots in the boat, and the Captain, probably to frighten him, refused to give them up for a time, and rowed away.
The boys, it is alleged, then commenced to throw stones at the boat and to splash the occupants who went ashore and chased him. Captain Winter carried a scull by the blade and struck Oakins, who at once fell to the ground unconscious, It was at first thought that the lad was only shamming, but as he showed no signs of coming round, medical assistance was requisitioned and it was found that he was dead, the cause of death being a broken neck.
The grief of the captain on realising the terrible result of his blow was intense. He was arrested and conveyed to the county police station at Bedford, but was afterwards released on bail.
The inquest on the dead boy will be held this afternoon at Smith’s Arms, Kempston, and Captain Winter is to appear before the magistrates at the Shire Hall, Bedford, tomorrow morning.
In its issue of July 12th, the Daily Mail stated:
Unusual interest was taken in the inquest yesterday on the unfortunate lad, Sydney Oakins, who was killed by a blow from a scull dealt by Captain Ormonde Winter, of the Royal Field Artillery, on Saturday, and the Village Inn at Kempston was far too small for all anxious to be present. It was accordingly decided to hold the inquest at the board school.
The principal witness was a lad named George Holmes, who said that he was fishing in the Ouse with the deceased. They had taken off their boots. Two gentlemen came up with a boat, and Oakins asked them whether he could mind it. They said “no” and rowed on further and grounded, as the water was shallower. The witness and Oakins helped them out, and they went away.
Oakins rowed off in the boat, and had not returned when the gentlemen came back. Subsequently Oakins returned, but landed on the opposite side of the river. The witness brought the boat to the gentlemen, who rowed to the other side and picked up the boots of the witness and Oakins and put them on the bank near the boat. Captain Winter told his friend to see that Holmes did not get the boots and ran after Oakins. The witness then tried to get his boots, but was knocked back by Captain Winter’s friend. They then threw the boots into the boat. Subsequently Oakins rejoined the witness, and Captain Winter and his friend, Mr. McLaren, got out of the boat. The captain had a scull in his hand, and the boots were thrown into the river. Oakins and others had previously thrown hard mud at the captain and the latter swung the scull round with both hands and hit Oakins on the head.
The boy fell, and Captain Winter said they would see to him. Oakins did not move again.
In cross-examination, Holmes said that he could not remember whether Oakins “ducked” when the scull was swung round. He was standing upright as far as he saw him when the blow was struck.
Another lad, named Proctor, said Captain Winter and his friend also attacked him, but he maintained that Oakins and himself were defending themselves.
A witness name Mann said Oakins ducked when Captain Winter swung the scull round, or it would have struck him on the arm. He thought the scull was swung round to keep Oakins away.
Edward Creasey, a retired Ceylon police officer, said he saw the affair. One of the boys advanced, and he saw Captain Winter swing the scull round, and the boy fell.
Dr. Butters attributed death to fracture of the base of the skull caused by the blow.
The lad’s father said he had received a letter from Captain Winter expressing his deep sympathy and offering to bear all the funeral expenses.
The jury, after seven minutes’ deliberation, returned a verdict of Manslaughter against Captain Winter.
The sequel to the incident is told in the “Daily Mail” of the following day, thus:
In a crowded Bedford court, which gave vent to its feelings in applause, the charge of manslaughter against Captain Ormonde Winter who caused the death of the lad Sidney Oakins by a blow with a scull on Saturday evening was yesterday dismissed.
The magistrate was of opinion that no jury would convict. The only question was whether the use of the scull was lawful, and he was of opinion that under the circumstances it was. The trouble was commenced by the boys taking away the boat. Furthermore, with fifteen or eighteen lads throwing mud as hard as stones; the captain and his friend were in serious danger, and ‘the accused was justified in landing and swinging the oar to keep off the tormentors. Unfortunately Oakins “ducked” and received the blow on his head.
Opinions are divided on Winter. Historian and author James Crossland refers to him as a “gentleman thug”, “very posh, very violent, quite fascist“, whilst Thomas Hutton (his commander) described him as “the bravest man I have ever known” and that he “really seemed to enjoy war and yet was one of the most considerate of commanders”.