The chief of the army, Major General John Boswell, offered his “unreserved apology” for publishing the essay on Wednesday, saying the army did not endorse its contents. He had named it the winner because it was the better-written entry of two in that category, he said, but that decision was a mistake. “I will always listen to the opinions of others, particularly those of our soldiers. And I think it is important that we seek to understand where other views exist,” he wrote, in a post on the link where the article was removed. “In this particular case however, it has been made clear to me that publishing this essay was viewed as undermining both the inclusive culture we are seeking and the work that is being done across all ranks to effect this change – work that is incredibly important, not just to me but to our organisation.”