More Scottish COs: Campbeltown, Islay, Arran

The two men from Lochgilphead, Duncan Macdonald and Duncan Campbell McTavish, whose cases came up in the preceding post, were not the only First World War conscientious objectors (COs) in the rural south-west of Scotland. There were at least half a dozen more, from quite close by, whose paths may have crossed with theirs.

Dr John MacCallum is the best known to historians, and has already been referred to on this blog. Without repeating his story here, it is worth noting his Argyllshire connections. As well as being described as "TB officer" for that county, he was a son of the (Church of Scotland) manse, to wit Muckairn Manse, Taynuilt, now a Category B listed building.

It is tempting to conclude that Peter Sim from the Isle of Arran was the same person as P Simm from Arran, but if the latter's meagre record is accurate this may not be the case. Peter Sim was sentenced at Court Martial to 112 days in Wormwood Scrubs and arrested as an absentee, then sent to Wakefield work centre under the Home Office Scheme (HOS) for alternative service. "P Simm", on the other hand, is described as an Absolutist and must have refused or come off the HOS since he had served 3 sentences by January 1919... (Maybe he thought better of going along with the HOS, or absconded from Wakefield?)

Peter Sim

Age        -

Birth year            -

Year       -

Soldier Number                -

Address               -

Address 2            Isle of Arran

Local authority  Arran County District

County Buteshire

Country                Scotland

Latitude               -

Longitude            -

Ordnance Survey reference        -

Motivation          -

War Service        CM (Court Martial) Perth 14.9.16 - 112 days HL (With hard labour), to Wormwood S.

Magistrates Court            Arrest reported 19.9.16

Magistrates Court comments     Absentee

Prison   Wormwood S.

Work Centre      HOS (The Home Office Scheme, administered by the Brace Committee) to Wakefield

WO363 false

Sources                NCF (No-Conscription Fellowship)/COIB Report XLV; FH/SER/VOPC/Cases/7(2549) 

Record set          Conscientious Objectors' Register 1914-1918

P Simm

Age        -

Birth year            -

Year       -

Soldier Number                -

Address               -

Address 2            Arran

Local authority  Arran County District

County Buteshire

Country                Scotland

Latitude               -

Longitude            -

Ordnance Survey reference        -

Absolutist            Yes

Motivation          -

War Service        ?

Prison   By Jan.1919 had served 3 sentences (1 month furlough) and more than two years.

WO363 false

Sources                FH/FSC(1916/20)/SER3-Two Year Men;

Record set          Conscientious Objectors' Register 1914-1918

The island of Islay also produced a pair of COs, for one of whom a WO363 record is available.

John McFadyen, a ploughman aged 24 and 5'2" tall in 1916, was granted ECS and duly joined the NCC at Stirling Castle, serving without recorded incident until demob on 22-7-19.

John McFadyen

Marital status    Single

Occupation         Ploughman

Age        24

Birth year            1892

Year       1916

Soldier Number                1331

Address               Coullabus

Address 2            Gruinart

Local authority  Islay County District

County Argyllshire

Country                Scotland

Latitude               55.76

Longitude            -6.23

Ordnance Survey reference        NR348608

Motivation          -

Military Service Tribunal                MST (Military Service Tribunal) (?) - ECS (Exemption from Combatant Service)

War Service        NCC (Non-Combatant Corps) 16.6.16 Stirling Castle, (2 Scottish); Home: 16,6,16 - 22.7.19, Demob.

WO363 true

Sources                NA/WO363 - on line 

Record set          Conscientious Objectors' Register 1914-1918

John Mcfadyen

Age        24

Birth year            1892

Service number                1331

Regiment            Non-Combatant Corps

Unit / Battalion 3rd Scottish Company

Year       1916

Residence town               Galashiels

Residence county            Selkirkshire

Residence country          Scotland

Series    WO 363

Series description            WO 363 - First World War Service Records 'Burnt Documents'

Archive The National Archives

Record set          British Army Service Records

Category              Military, armed forces & conflict

John Mcfadyen

Age        24

Birth year            -

Service number                1331

Regiment            Non-Combatant Corps

Unit / Battalion 3rd Battalion

Year       1915

Series    WO 363

Series description            WO 363 - First World War Service Records 'Burnt Documents'

Archive The National Archives

Record set          British Army Service Records

Category              Military, armed forces & conflict

John Bell, a sawyer, was granted temporary exemption during June 1916, then ECS when his appeal at county level was dismissed. The only source given is one which would repay further study. It is quoted as if suggesting Bell has somehow managed to dodge the draft for the best part of two years:

John Bell

Occupation         Sawyer

Age        -

Birth year            -

Year       -

Soldier Number                -

Address               Lyrabus

Address 2            Islay

Local authority  Islay County District

County Argyllshire

Country                Scotland

Latitude               55.76

Longitude            -6.23

Ordnance Survey reference        NR348608

Motivation          -

Military Service Tribunal                MST (Military Service Tribunal) Islay Local 9.6.16 - temporary exemption to 30.6.16; County appeal rejected - ECS (Exemption from Combatant Service) only, non-combatant

War Service        'This man is virtually a shirker, and although he has had call-up notices he has paid no attention to them and up until recently was occasionally employed as a jobbing labourer' (4.3.18)

WO363 false

Sources   [National Archives of Scotland file] NAS/HH31/28/60 Survey of Scottish Tribunals' use of Absolute Exemption - response by Islay Local 4.3.18.

Record set          Conscientious Objectors' Register 1914-1918

Two CO students with home address in Springfield Terrace, Campbeltown, look like brothers. James Scott, studying in Belfast, where he lived at 12 Elmbank Avenue, is said to have been motivated by (unspecified) religion. Granted Exemption from Combatant Service (ECS) in March 1916 he joined the Non-Combatant Corps (NCC) in August. At the end of September he was transferred to Army Reserve Class W to allow him to finish his studies, on condition that he join the OTC Ambulance Unit. A comparatively rational and humane outcome, by contrast with the majority of COs.

James Scott

Marital status    Single

Occupation         Medical student (Belfast University)

Age        20.11

Birth year            1896

Year       1916

Soldier Number                2629

Address               Springfield Terrace*

Address 2            Campbeltown

Local authority  Campbeltown Burgh

County Argyllshire

Country                Scotland

Latitude               55.42

Longitude            -5.62

Ordnance Survey reference        NR710200

Motivation          'Religious'

Military Service Tribunal                MST (Military Service Tribunal) Campbeltown 23.3.16 - ECS (Exemption from Combatant Service) only

War Service        NCC (Non-Combatant Corps) 25.8.16 Stirling Castle, (13 Aldershot); 30.9.18 transfer to Army Reserve Class W to allow him to continue his studies on condition that he join the University OTC Ambulance Unit

WO363 true

Notes    *His 'home' address; his university address - 12, Elmwood Avenue, Belfast

Sources                NA/WO363 - on line;

                 Record set          Conscientious Objectors' Register 1914-1918

Thomas Scott, two years older, was likewise ECS, conditional on his joining the RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps) and served with the NCC from 18-8-16.

Thomas Scott

Single

Occupation         Student

Age        23

Birth year            1893

Year       1916

Soldier Number                2524

Address               Springfield Terrace

Address 2            Campbeltown

Local authority  Campbeltown Burgh

County Argyllshire

Country                Scotland

Latitude               55.42

Longitude            -5.62

Ordnance Survey reference        NR710200

Motivation          -

Military Service Tribunal                MST (Military Service Tribunal) (?) - ECS (Exemption from Combatant Service) conditional on his joining RAMC

War Service        NCC (Non-Combatant Corps) 18.8.16 Oxford, (4 Southern)

WO363 true

Sources                NA/WO363 - on line - incomplete

                 Record set          Conscientious Objectors' Register 1914-1918

Stirling Castle, where the NCC Scottish Companies mustered

Lastly, their fellow citizen William McMurchy was rather more unfortunate. A member of the Plymouth Brethren, he had been assigned to the Royal Scots and was court-martialled 'in the field' in January 1917. Sentenced to 12 months in prison, he came before the Central Tribunal at Wormwood Scrubs in July and was judged to be a Class A ("genuine") CO. As such he accepted the HOS and proceeded to Dartmoor work centre. Having been in the forces he was accorded the customary medals after the war, only to have them withdrawn in 1923, presumably because his CO status was pointed out.

William McMurchy

Age        27

Birth year            1890

Year       1917

Soldier Number                34458

Address               -

Address 2            Campbeltown

Local authority  Campbeltown Burgh

County Argyllshire

Country                Scotland

Latitude               55.42

Longitude            -5.62

Ordnance Survey reference        NR710200

France  Yes

Motivation          Plymouth Brethren

Military Service Tribunal                MST (Military Service Tribunal) Central Tribunal at Wormwood S. 29.6.17, CO class A, to Brace Committee

Central Tribunal                Central Tribunal Nos. W. 3693 Class: A - Genuine

War Service        11 Royal Scots FGCM (Court Martial) 'In the field' 20.1.17 - 12 months without HL (With hard labour), Wormwood S.*

Prison   Wormwood S. 7.5.17 to 14.7.17 to Dartmoor

Work Centre      HOS (The Home Office Scheme, administered by the Brace Committee) 14.7.17 to Dartmoor

WO363 false

Notes    *Awarded Victory and British Medals, withdrawn 1923.*Address in 1901 census.

Sources                LMA/4417/01/016 - Wormwood S. Nominal Register; Not found in NA/WO363; NA/British Army WW1 Medal Rolls 1914-1920; NA/MH47/2 Central Tribunal Minutes.

Record set          Conscientious Objectors' Register 1914-1918 

Category              Armed forces & conflict 

This small mixed bag of records, netted via a search using place-name keywords on the online database, is typical of the sort of information that may be found about COs in many areas of the country.