Ploughman was called up‘in error’

A Balfron ploughman was drafted into the Army “by an error”, a West Stirlingshire and Clackmannanshire recruiting appeal tribunal was told.

John Stewart, Kepculloch, appeared before the tribunal to apply for a medical re-examination to determine his fitness for military service.

Lawyer Mr HD McLellan said Mr Stewart had gone to Viewforth in response to a calling-up notice and “was taken straight away for the Army”.

However, National Service representative Capt Motherwell had sent a letter agreeing to his reexamination .

Mr McLellan said “the lad” (Mr Stewart) had been taken into the Army before the expiry of the period within which he had a right to apply to the tribunal for re-examination.

The National Service representative at the July tribunal had agreed to make inquiries into the case but nothing had so far come of that and the ploughman was still in the Army.

Capt Motherwell said he had no information about the case but thought it was for Mr Stewart himself to point out to officials his circumstances.

The tribunal chairman said: “The fact is that by an error this boy has been posted into the Army”.

He asked the tribunal clerk to make the facts of the case known to the Ministry of National Service.