Jack the Ripper – A Love Story ( Excerpt 133 ) – Malcolm Marsh

Jack the Ripper – A Love Story ( Excerpt 133 )

‘Another one of the Generals’ wonderful ideas, run all the Boer family’s off their land and place them in camps like this, but as I am sure you appreciate, close proximity loves disease and this place is like a powder keg, waiting to explode!’

‘I worked for twelve years in Whitechapel, in the East End of London, it was a similar situation, overcrowding, poor sanitation. An area just begging for an outbreak of typhoid or cholera. I fought hard to educate the authorities of the danger, but it took a cholera epidemic to make them listen. The situation has improved slightly but it still has a long way to go.’ I stated sadly.

Ah! so you are that Jack, I couldn’t have wished for a better partner, I know full well your aims will agree with mine.’ replied a smiling Arthur. ‘And those aims are?’ I questioned, I wanted to know what I was letting myself in for.

‘To improve the conditions in this camp, to stop women and particularly children dying of malnutrition. The stock answer is always that the food deliveries keep getting ambushed by the Boers, why would they want to starve their own wives and children? look around you, do the Officers and soldiers appear malnourished?’ was his reply.

‘So, what you are implying is that the Commandant is happily pursuing a course of Genocide against the inmates, that is unbelievable?’ I stated in disbelief.

‘I agree, it sticks in my craw, that an Officer in the same Army as I am, would behave in such a way towards unarmed prisoners, the majority of whom are non-combatants,’ stated Arthur angrily.