Chris Baker - Making sense of death: Sir Bernard Spilsbury in the Great War

Chris Baker, from Leamington Spa, explores the life and times of leading Home Office pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury. Spilsbury came to public attention for his work in the famous Crippen trial of 1910 and thereafter was rarely out of the headlines. During the war Spilsbury was involved in many notorious cases including the ‘Brides in the bath’ murders and he also detected TNT poisoning through examination of munitions workers who died in service. Later, he was on the scene of assassination of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Sir Henry Wilson, in 1922. Some of Spilsbury’s forensic work dealt with the violent aftermath of war, including examination of bodies brought back from France, and murders committed by men who discharged from the army on medical grounds. Spilsbury’s grisly business provides an unusual insight into the war years, so bring your friends, family and crime fans for a spot ...