Who killed Bambi ?

[Caroline]

It's not my argument or even my interpretation its based on the rules of language and English grammar.

You are using a Michael from daily writing tips to back up your argument.  I am using the Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries:

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/the

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/a

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/the

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/a

Both make it perfectly clear that the word 'a' is used when mentioning something or someone for the first time and the word 'the' is used when mentioning something or someone that has been referred to in the past. 

NB would not have said "Sheilas gone crazy shes got a gun" as the gun/rifle had clearly been referred to in the past since NB and JB purchased together and it may well have been the main gun used around the farm on a regular basis for dispatching vermin.  Whether JB is telling the truth or not the correct English language is "Sheilas gone crazy shes got the gun" as the gun had been referred to in the past.

Holly, this is silly! The shot guns would have been referred to in the past and 'may' have been the main gun around the house is YOUR injection. No mater how you twist it, there were several guns around the house and using 'A' doesn't define anything where as 'the' does - it's specific. The article I posted makes perfect sense - did the author make up the comment that 'the' is a definite article?

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/definite-article

[adam]

It is most likely Jeremy would believe 'the gun' referred to by Nevill was the rifle he had loaded & left out a few hours earlier.  He told the police as much.

This was the rifle him & Nevill had purchased together, the rifle Jeremy had fully loaded and the rifle he had left out (fully loaded). It was also likely the gun cupboard had been locked by Nevill & any weapons in there were not loaded anyway.

In this case it is very surprising that Jeremy dithered for so long & would not go within 50 yards of WHF.

Surely he would know him & Nevill together could easily restrain Sheila without obtaining any serious injuries.

It was also likely Nevill would have restrained Sheila prior to Jeremy arriving. Nevill may have rang Jeremy to help calm down Sheila after Nevill had disarmed her.

Sheila was holding a rifle used for shooting vermin, not a shot gun. Why were Nevill & Jeremy in such a panic ?

[Holly Goodhead]

Holly, this is silly! The shot guns would have been referred to in the past and 'may' have been the main gun around the house is YOUR injection. No mater how you twist it, there were several guns around the house and using 'A' doesn't define anything where as 'the' does - it's specific. The article I posted makes perfect sense - did the author make up the comment that 'the' is a definite article?

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/definite-article

I tried to explain in the sentence I used above:

You are using a Michael from daily writing tips to back up your argument.  I am using the Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries:

I'm referring to 'a' Michael as it is the first time he has been referred to whereas 'the' Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries are known quantities. 

What would shotguns and rifles typically be used for and which do you think would be most often used at WHF? 

Yes the shotguns would have been referred to in the past hence NB would not say "Sheilas got a gun" even if referring to the shotgun and not the rifle.  If on the other hand Sheila had a knife from the kitchen drawer he would say "Sheilas got a knife" as its unlikely NB and JB referred to any particular knife in the past.

[Myster]

The gun cupboard didn't have a lock.

This shotgun might have also been left out and NB was referring to that rather than the Anschutz...https://imgur.com/FaHWQtJ

[Holly Goodhead]

The gun cupboard didn't have a lock.

This shotgun might have also been left out and NB was referring to that rather than the Anschutz...https://imgur.com/FaHWQtJ

Which firearm was most likely to be used on a regular basis around WHF: rifle or shotgun?

[Holly Goodhead]

It is most likely Jeremy would believe 'the gun' referred to by Nevill was the rifle he had loaded & left out a few hours earlier.  He told the police as much.

This was the rifle him & Nevill had purchased together, the rifle Jeremy had fully loaded and the rifle he had left out (fully loaded). It was also likely the gun cupboard had been locked by Nevill & any weapons in there were not loaded anyway.

In this case it is very surprising that Jeremy dithered for so long & would not go within 50 yards of WHF.

Surely he would know him & Nevill together could easily restrain Sheila without obtaining any serious injuries.

It was also likely Nevill would have restrained Sheila prior to Jeremy arriving. Nevill may have rang Jeremy to help calm down Sheila after Nevill had disarmed her.

Sheila was holding a rifle used for shooting vermin, not a shot gun. Why were Nevill & Jeremy in such a panic ?

Because both would understand the power of the rifle and how lethal it could be.  There's also the possibility the pair were growing opium poppies for the black market and wanted to avoid anyone from outside getting involved.

[APRIL]

I tried to explain in the sentence I used above:

You are using a Michael from daily writing tips to back up your argument.  I am using the Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries:

I'm referring to 'a' Michael as it is the first time he has been referred to whereas 'the' Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries are known quantities. 

What would shotguns and rifles typically be used for and which do you think would be most often used at WHF? 

Yes the shotguns would have been referred to in the past hence NB would not say "Sheilas got a gun" even if referring to the shotgun and not the rifle.  If on the other hand Sheila had a knife from the kitchen drawer he would say "Sheilas got a knife" as its unlikely NB and JB referred to any particular knife in the past.

But before Michael's knowledge is dismissed out of hand, it must be asked if he pulled out of thin air or retrieved it from some higher authority.

Referencing a hypothetical knife. If Sheila had wielded any old knife from the kitchen draw, it would certainly have been "A" knife. If, on the other hand it was the bone handled knife used by generations of Bambers, it would most likely have been "THE" knife.

[Caroline]

I tried to explain in the sentence I used above:

You are using a Michael from daily writing tips to back up your argument.  I am using the Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries:

I'm referring to 'a' Michael as it is the first time he has been referred to whereas 'the' Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries are known quantities. 

What would shotguns and rifles typically be used for and which do you think would be most often used at WHF? 

Yes the shotguns would have been referred to in the past hence NB would not say "Sheilas got a gun" even if referring to the shotgun and not the rifle.  If on the other hand Sheila had a knife from the kitchen drawer he would say "Sheilas got a knife" as its unlikely NB and JB referred to any particular knife in the past.

Who would say 'a Michael'? The notion that the rifle was THEE gun, is your injection. What we know is that there were several guns in the house not just THEE gun. It's actually a pointless argument but it is clear to me and others why Bamber said 'the' gun and I don't believe the words ever left Nevil's mouth.

[Holly Goodhead]

But before Michael's knowledge is dismissed out of hand, it must be asked if he pulled out of thin air or retrieved it from some higher authority.

Why not go straight to the horse's mouth!

Referencing a hypothetical knife. If Sheila had wielded any old knife from the kitchen draw, it would certainly have been "A" knife. If, on the other hand it was the bone handled knife used by generations of Bambers, it would most likely have been "THE" knife.

Yes.

[Caroline]

But before Michael's knowledge is dismissed out of hand, it must be asked if he pulled out of thin air or retrieved it from some higher authority.

Referencing a hypothetical knife. If Sheila had wielded any old knife from the kitchen draw, it would certainly have been "A" knife. If, on the other hand it was the bone handled knife used by generations of Bambers, it would most likely have been "THE" knife.

They might have had a favourite knife 

[Holly Goodhead]

Who would say 'a Michael'? The notion that the rifle was THEE gun, is your injection. What we know is that there were several guns in the house not just THEE gun. It's actually a pointless argument but it is clear to me and others why Bamber said 'the' gun and I don't believe the words ever left Nevil's mouth.

I said you are referring to a Michael because I've no idea who Michael is. 

Which firearm do you think was the one most often used around WHF? 

[APRIL]

They might have had a favourite knife 

About which they might have had a deep and meaningful conversation over supper that night. What, I think we may assume, is that no such conversation took place about "THEE" gun because Jeremy would surely have mentioned it.

[Holly Goodhead]

About which they might have had a deep and meaningful conversation over supper that night. What, I think we may assume, is that no such conversation took place about "THEE" gun because Jeremy would surely have mentioned it.

Which firearm do you think was the one most often used around WHF?

[Myster]

Which firearm was most likely to be used on a regular basis around WHF: rifle or shotgun?

I just threw that in to see what you'd say.

But only used with a telescopic sight which Bamber removed less than two weeks before the murders... funny that.

13. The rifle was a .22 Anshutz automatic rifle. Together with a Parker Hale sound moderator (silencer) and telescopic sights, it had been bought by Nevill Bamber on 30 November 1984. 500 rounds of ammunition had also been purchased. There was evidence that the gun was used to shoot rabbits and would only ever be used with the sound moderator and the telescopic sights attached. A screwdriver was required to remove the telescopic sights but there was evidence that this was not normally done because of the time it took to realign them.
 

[Myster]

BTW, is anyone else having problems with formatting, spacing paragraphs properly, posting photos anything over a minuscule size?  Or is it just me?