During the course of researching MacMahon, I came across various interesting items and pictures that weren't relevant to the thesis and didn't find their way into the final product.
Some of them are described below.
In 1877, MacMahon was on the North West Frontier of the British Indian empire, in a place called Kohat. Kohat is now the site of the largest arms factory in Pakistan. I was investigating a claim by one the obituary writers that MacMahon had taken part in a punitive raid on a tribe known as the Jowaki Afridis. It turned out that this wasn't true, but one of the references that turned up was to a Colonel Sebastian Moran.
The name was somehow familiar, and then I realised that he was Professor Moriarty's second in command, and featured in the Sherlock Holmes story The Empty House by Conan Doyle. Part of Moran's backstory was that he took part in the very raid that MacMahon had almost participated in. This inspired me to write The case of the dangerous traitor.
This is a picture of Moran being arrested.
In 1924, MacMahon attended the ICM in Toronto. In the published proceedings of the conference there is group photo of all the participants. MacMahon is clearly visible.
If you have any questions, please e-mail me