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Name: DICKINSON, Hugh Thompson

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Birth Date: 13 Oct 1905 Riding Mill, Northumberland

Death Date: 29 May 1983 London

First Date: 1940

Profession: Army officer

Area: Karen

Married: 1. 1932 Barbara Helen Wallace b. 25 June 1903 Colchester (later Mrs Gray); 2. In Marylebone 10 Oct 1947 Averil Nina Carmichael-Anstruther b. 10 June 1907, d. 29 Aug 1991 Westminster (prev. m. to Guy Melville Barker 1907-1969)

Book Reference: Mischief, Hut, Wolseley-Lewis, Web

War Service: 9th Lancers, RASC ?

School: Harrow

General Information:

Mischief - His posting to Kenya - In fact, although Dickinson was married, he had organised his transfer to be near Diana. ........... After the Erroll murder Superintendent Poppy found Dickinson very agreeable, but characteristically he also regarded him with suspicion. He was too smooth, a little too obsequious, too clever by half. ........... In Feb. 1941? was on safari with Jock and Diana Delves-Broughton and J.A. Hunter ........... he was in hospital at the time of the murder, his left foot poisoned by cactus. The infection had been serious, and his foot had almost been amputated, yet by now he was fit enough, apparently, to walk long distances after game (an 8 day safari)
Wolseley-Lewis - Sir Henry John Delves Broughton (Jock) had been in Kenya in the 20s. He was an ex-army officer (Irish Guards) of rather doubtful repute. He had a small team who had helped him with a phoney theft of pictures and pearls. In the team was his mistress, Diana (Motion) Caldwell, daughter of a fellow officer, and another officer in the 9th Lancers, Hugh Dickinson. They were sent to Kenya to do whatever was necessary as a team. Hugh Dickinson transferred to the RASC, a rather surprising choice, presumably because it was the only way to get to Kenya on time. He arrived first. His excuse was to be near Diana. The army would not normally have agreed to this, so there must have been some pressure …………… Hugh Dickinson hurt his leg and went into hospital in Mombasa. At the time of the murder [of Lord Erroll] he came and stayed with Aunt Molly [Parker] which was very convenient and he was supposedly still in Mombasa hospital. Why did he not go to his Rest House on the Broughton's plot? Because he was not meant to be in Karen at all. So the action had begun. What Diana and Erroll were doing was well known to Hugh and Jock since they were all still gadding around together. On the night of 22nd January 1941 it was known that they were going to the Clairmont and Muthaiga Club and that Eroll and Diana would be seen clinging together and come home after the others, seemingly having had a row because Joss said he could not marry Diana because she had no money. Hugh was waiting with his army revolver to shoot Erroll. No shot was heard from the house, so it can be presumed that Hugh stopped Erroll when he had driven away - stopped him as if to ask a question, opened the passenger door and shot him, the first shot missing and second fatal. He then went round and pushed Erroll into the passenger side where he fell on the floor, drove him to the murram pit where he was found dead early in the morning. Jealousy and duty worked very well together. Hugh then walked the mile across country to my Aunt's house. It had rained and his shoes/boots were covered in mud. The Aunt's faithful servant had to clean them and said to her he did not know where the 'Bwana' had been during the night. Everyone immediately said 'it was Diana of course' who had done it, the jilted woman. Delves Broughton knew that he had not done it and that it could not be proved that he had, so he played the part of the guilty party to save Diana from being arrested. Hugh was not suspected because officially he was not around. So many 'red herrings' were dragged across the trail intentionally. No one could really think that it could be a hush-hush removal of a man who had done much for Kenya and was liked. So concentration was centred on the romantic side with Joss's reputation as a playboy. SIS would never admit to any involvement. However, why would Delves Broughton have brought his small team out here one year after the start of the war in Europe, unless ……… ? Did Diana know Joss was going to be killed? I think not. Did Joss and Diana have a flaming row that night as reported and did this make the right opportunity for the jealous lovers to carry out SIS's instructions? I do not think that SIS intended murder. Now they are all dead this can be written. Some questions will probably never be answered but much that was not understood is explained here. All the rest of the mumbo-jumbo is of no consequence.
Web - 'Hughsie Daisy'
Mischief - A handsome Lieutenant, often photographed with Diana Caldwell, he was never far away from Diana and was a frequent guest at Doddington. ... In 1940 he was a Lieut in the Signal Corps and had been posted to Kenya.

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