Swaine's godfather was the King of Belgium. He joined the
Rifle Brigade as an Ensign on 24 July 1859, rising to Lieutenant on 16 August 1864. He was later military attaché at Berlin and Lord Wolseley's military secretary during the
Anglo-Egyptian War. He held the command of the
North-Western military district (at Chester) from 1896 until May 1902, and retired from the army in December the same year. Swaine died on 13 March 1931. ==References==