Re Capt John Molloy, RN and 95th Foot / Rifle brigade (1st and 2nd Bat): Just read a 2011 post on the bulletin about Molloy and the remarkable overlaps with the life of Richard Sharpe. I’ve been researching Molloy for 6 yrs. He became a gentleman and deserved to be thought of as such but had to hide his roots because of his position here in Australia. Much of what’s been published is incorrect including information in Gil Hardwick’s paper ‘The Irish RM’. I’ve just watched yet again the complete Sharpe episodes in one go and it really is like seeing John Molloy. My new biography about the Molloys (husband and wife) will be published later this year and perhaps you’ll enjoy reading the true and colourful tale of the man who seems to be Sharpe’s shadow. Many new sources have come to light and he had quite a war. By the way, young Molloy actually just missed Trafalgar – he was busy having another adventure in a burning ship but no-one else knows that – yet! I’ve so often thought that you would have sent Dick Sharpe onward to the Swan River Colony (Perth) if you had known about Molloy. The life of a settler in the wilderness was quite something – but a walk in the park to a veteran of the peninsular wars. Thanks for the books Mr Cornwell.

Bernice Barry