One has to wonder at the good Baron’s thought process. At the moment any negative comments are limited to a couple of bulletin boards that anyone needing a bodyguard are unlikely to visit unless, of course, they Google “Baron Castleshort”. I think the good Baron has not been discussed here for around six months and that hiatus was probably set to continue. However, he decides now is the time to act and thereby generating more traffic here. So far he has succeeded in the removal of one photograph and getting Byronik to review his webpage.

Can any of the ARRSE COs advise if they have received any representation from the Baron regarding the LoF topics?

From his summary I would agree with Byronik’s observation that the “supporting documentation” seems to answer questions that have not been asked. Obfuscation is a word that springs to mind. Had he supplied copies of payslips from 21 or documentary verification of his title we would, rightly, have to sing a different tune.

If he does decide to enrich a few more lawyers, he can be sure that he will be under VERY close scrutiny from a number of angles. Defence lawyers for one and certain members of the media for another. Win or lose, I don’t think the IBA will be bathed in Castleshort’s reflected "glory". Will the IBA membership be really happy that their DG drags their organisation through the courts because he is upset that he personally, not the IBA, is subject to ridicule?

Looking again at the rec.heraldry site it would appear at birth he was registered with the surname Shortt (not Short) at Croydon in 1953. There you are, one correction/clarification made here at ARRSE.

There's also THIS

Baron of Castleshort
In 1999 I had the honour to be warned that I had been placed under surveillance by the 'Royal Eoghanacht Galloglas Guard', sworn bodyguards of Terence MacCarthy 'Mór'. The Galloglas Guard continues in existence as the Royal Galloglas Guard, and is commanded by a former MacCarthy supporter 'Baron' James Shortt of Castleshort ( http://home.earthlink.net/~rggsibiba...galloglas.html ). The aforementioned unreliable list of Irish Chiefs on Wikipedia as of August 2007 features an entry for 'An Caisleanghearr', which appears to indicate that the Barony of Castleshort has been upgraded to a full chiefship ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiefs_of_the_Name ). The Baron is also listed as the head of the newly formed 'Clan MacShort', allegedly of Scottish Galloglas origin ( http://www.ulsterclans.org/ ).
The surname Short in Ireland can be of two origins, straightforward English or an anglicisation of Mac an Ghirr, the second element being a form of the Gaelic for 'short'. I cannot at the moment confirm a Scottish galloglas association for Mac an Ghirr, usually anglicised McGirr. The idea that there existed a 'clan' to which all Shorts belonged is clearly nonsensical.
Terence MacCarthy of course invented the baronial title of Castleshort, and the good Baron's references to various places of the name in Kerry and Cork do not show that they had any association with the surname Short ( http://home.earthlink.net/~rggsibiba...stleshort.html ).

The Baron and his military claims have been the subject of critical discussion on an unofficial British Army chat website, and a photograph posted showing him wearing the breast star of Terence MacCarthy's discredited 'Niadh Nask' order ( http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/...tart=3300.html ). I have been mentioned by one participant in the discussion, 'Galloglaigh', as 'a mysterious sad little character' who has 'pursued virtually all the named Irish chiefs as frauds', but 'ceased pursuing the issue after he did the hatchet job on Terence MacCarthy' ( http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/...start=105.html ). Unfortunately, I am still very much active in exposing unustified claims to titles, and having written the book on the Mac Carthy Mór hoax, I maintain this and other webpages to keep things up to date.

Sean J Murphy MA
Centre for Irish Genealogical and Historical Studies
Commenced 6 March 2005, last updated 9 September 2007

If a picture paints a thousand words then there are 157,000 at;
http://www.ibabodyguards.net/index.php?module=media
and select 50 Anniversary 2007.

The good Baron makes an appearance.

He claims that he is a registered expert witness.

Anyone can register with the "Expertdotcom" industry. There are hundreds of sites to chose from to slap your name on. The real test is whether ones testimony has been vetted and accepted by a court of competent jurisdiction. There is a whole legal process for having an expert sworn in and their testimony accepted. I'd be interested to see the legal case citations to see this process for myself. If however, he gave a deposition at a public hearing or gave a presentation at a standing committee, then that is not per se an Expert Witness.

(for the interested, a brief summary appears in the heading of this case as to how, where who may be an expert witness... http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/199...994rcs2-9.html - with slight variations on other courts, it's pretty much the same standard.)

If anyone can supply me with the awards this person is apparently claiming Canada gave him, I'll check with our folks over here.

As for copyright questions, send them to me in PM, I'll have a look and see what the ruckus is about. So far, I haven't seen anything that sticks out as a flagrant violation.

Originally Posted by niner_domestic

He claims that he is a registered expert witness.

Anyone can register with the "Expertdotcom" industry. There are hundreds of sites to chose from to slap your name on. The real test is whether ones testimony has been vetted and accepted by a court of competent jurisdiction. There is a whole legal process for having an expert sworn in and their testimony accepted. I'd be interested to see the legal case citations to see this process for myself. If however, he gave a deposition at a public hearing or gave a presentation at a standing committee, then that is not per se an Expert Witness.

(for the interested, a brief summary appears in the heading of this case as to how, where who may be an expert witness... http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/199...994rcs2-9.html - with slight variations on other courts, it's pretty much the same standard.)

If anyone can supply me with the awards this person is apparently claiming Canada gave him, I'll check with our folks over here.

As for copyright questions, send them to me in PM, I'll have a look and see what the ruckus is about. So far, I haven't seen anything that sticks out as a flagrant violation.

I haven't been able to find him on the Legal Hub, which is where I advertise as an Expert Witness. Sweet and Maxwell (owners of the site) insist upon legal references from at least two solicitors/Barristers before you can register with them.

He'd also need to have given evidence in a Court of Law, Civil or Criminal within the past year.

Legal Hub

B2N, I did a search on our Dbases and reporting series here and came up with a zero.

What's up with the FBI National Academy connection? I can't decide if it's a not for profit organization under the auspices of the FBI or just a school using it's location near the Quantico gang to draw students.

Any ideas on what Canuck awards he's been given? His name isn't coming up in any of our Gazettes.

Originally Posted by niner_domestic

Any ideas on what Canuck awards he's been given? His name isn't coming up in any of our Gazettes.

Some possible info on the good Baron’s Canadian Gong?

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.h...a9b952324c7dde


Yup I'm sure a lot of 17 year olds were handed out this one.

Edit: further reading on Google gives a DOB as 1953 so 14 years old and awarded this gong.

If you think that Jim is, or has been, unethical in his use of military or civilian awards or titles, why not complain to the I.B.A. (HQ @ IBAbodyguards.net).

Their code of ethics is as follows;


As a member of the international Bodyguard Association (IBA), I acknowledge that it is my personal responsibility to further the professional development of myself and other men and women who serve in the protection industry.

I will always exhibit the highest level of integrity in the performance of my professional duties, and I will carry out my responsibilities with professional competence.

I will not engage in any unethical or illegal conduct, or in any activity that could jeopardize my responsibilities.

I undertake to refrain from using narcotic or intoxicating substances that might hinder my judgement and my ability to perform my duties to the fullest of my abilities.

I will keep an open mind and commit myself to the pursuit of knowledge and information for the purpose of discovering new methods and systems.

I will always be honest when dealing with my principals, fellow Bodyguards, the International Bodyguard Association (IBA) it's members and officers, business associates and all others, and I will uphold the standards established by our founder, Lucien Victor Ott.

I acknowledge that a great deal of trust and responsibility has been given to me and I know that I must dedicate myself in the furtherance of the bodyguard profession and those whom I am sworn to protect.

I will always acknowledge the fact I am a member of a truly unique international organization and I will not hold any animosity or discriminate against another IBA member based solely on ethnic origin (Nationality or Skin Colour), gender or religious persuasion (Creed).

I will be truthful in representing myself to my principals, potential employers and fellow members of the IBA. Further I will not misrepresent my Capabilities, or myself.

I will not misrepresent myself as a Instructor or any other officer of the IBA nor will I teach bodyguard skills to any person as such until I have received written permission of the Director General of the IBA.

Lastly, I will commit myself to attaining excellence in all areas of the bodyguard profession.

http://www.finjutsu.com/Henkilogalle...dy_shortt.html

Very varied career indeed, Priest, Nurse, saving the Universe.

Love his CV & cross over dates

1974 - 1978 Mayday University Hospital Nurse
1976 - 1982 Consultant to the RM Commando Force

Top man was he at the Embassy Siege as a consultant to Operation Nimrod ??

Gee, I must be in mong mode today, all I can find for a referenced expert on any of the trials in London is the name Paul Beaver. Something must be wrong with my browser and search engines, when I search for the experts in any of these trials, I just keep getting Beaver's name.

Now if Shortt would care to send me the legal citation for the one(s) he did, I'd be happy to let the press, analysts and whatnots searchy engine folks in on that they forgot to mention Shortt's expertise. Why wouldn't these media types quote Shortt the same way they quoted Beaver?

As for reporting him to his own organization? How very nepotistic.