The Crimean War, I believe. It's a variation of "three on a match," which was supposedly unlucky because it gave snipers time to focus on and shoot English soldiers.
Thanks for the info. I'd heard of the "three on a match" superstition. Like some other superstitions ("never walk under a ladder" comes to mind), it originates from logic. But it's quite a stretch to tie triple celebrity deaths to "three on a match."
The superstitious are going to be superstitious, logic be damned. Funny thing is, the "deaths come in threes" BS is automatically self-fulfilling. Someone else with a modicum of fame will expire today, thereby "proving" the three-death theory.
that's great... I love the FR.. learn something new everyday...
My squaddie pals of the British Army of the Rhine claimed it was a Boer War holdover, and the shooting ability of their adversaries in that fight were certainly no joke. But they and I held our discussion long after both conflicts were long over and the participants unable to tell. My bet is it likely dates back before machine-rolled cigarettes, and very likely, to a time when the sniper's projectiles were arrows or crossbow bolts.