U-turn on war bonus for police in ‘shirker’ row

Chief constable says officers needed at home

A controversial decision to refuse a war bonus to certain Stirling area police officers was reversed 100 years ago this week.

On May 3, 1918, Stirling County Council sanctioned an extra payment of seven shillings and six pence a week to police but decided unmarried officers under 42 and married officers under 30 would not get the additional money.

It was felt that at a time of the nation’s peril, with the Army facing a manpower shortage, the officers who fell into those categories should be in khaki and fighting on the frontline.

However, the decision and its implication that some of the officers were “shirkers”, caused controversy. And at a meeting of the county council 100 years ago this week, a ‘standing joint committee’ of the authority sought a review of the move which, they felt, was based on a misapprehension of the position.

It was stated that one of the men who faced not receiving the bonus was, in fact, a discharged soldier who had left the Army after being gassed.

All the others had “voluntarily attested” which meant they had agreed to join the Colours when called.

However, the standing committee, on the opinion and advice of the chief constable, were of the view none of the officers could be released because the force was already below strength.

Manpower was down from 111 to 82 and it was felt any further reductions would be detrimental to its efficiency. The chief constable had made it clear he could not consent to additional officers being freed to join up until suitable substitutes were found.

Up to that point, 37 members of the Stirling County Constabulary had joined the Army and 10 had been killed.

The standing committee said: “The effect of the resolution was therefore to penalise the men, including the discharged soldier, for no fault of their own.

“The committee had instructed the chief constable to do his utmost to secure substitutes so that as many of the younger men as possible might be released from the force and while experience has show the difficulty of procuring suitable men, every effort will continue to be made to obtain such substitutes.”

Objections to the original resolution came from the town clerk of Grangemouth and the Amalgamated Union of Cooperative and Commercial Employees and Allied Works, Grangemouth.

But solicitor Mr RA Hill defended the resolution saying the county council had “shown a proper spirit of patriotism”.

He said many members had “given their sons” to the conflict and he felt there was on the part of councillors a reluctance to help “shirkers” by enabling young men to step aside from their duty.

He acknowledged, however, that they had to have an efficient police force for the protection of the community.

Another Falkirk solicitor, Mr Hunter, who moved the original resolution, said the blame lay with the chief constable who had failed to use his “administrative ability” to make sure that more of the men were released for military service.

It was agreed that the resolution should be rescinded and the matter referred to the Secretary of State for Scotland for his opinion.

One of the men who faced not receiving the bonus was, infact, a discharged soldier who had left the Army after being gassed