Principles that put doc behind bars
A DOCTOR and Scotland rugby player, John MacCallum was the last person anyone would expect to become a “prison rebel”.
But his principles and fighting spirit made the choice for him.
Capped 27 times and a leading figure in the fight against tuberculosis, MacCallum could have used his job as a reason of “national importance” when he received his call-up papers to fight in World War I in August 1916.
Instead, the 32-year-old, a graduate of Edinburgh University, chose to make a stand in solidarity with other conscientious objectors – and risked being given a white feather as a sign of “cowardice”.
Despite being the medical officer of health for Argyllshire, he was arrested and charged and sent to Perth Prison, where he was sentenced to hard labour.
He was sent to Broxburn, West Lothian, to Rough & Sons Cawburn Chemical Works, an artificial manure works. Flesh and bones from animal carcasses were turned into artificial manure and his job, along with the other COs, was to pull apart and process the carcasses.
It was such an appalling job it was usually only done for a few days at a time but the men who refused to fight were expected to work the long, hard hours permanently.
He was there for 10 months and decided to fight back over the hazardous conditions. He was sent back to Perth, where he was accused of “exerting a bad influence” and spent much of the next three years in prison in solitary.
His case was raised in Parliament when Lord Parmoor said: “Take the case of Dr MacCallum, a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, the holder of numerous prizes and medals and one of the most distinguished students of his time.
“If there ever was a moment when medical and surgical service was of special value it is at the present; yet that man in solitary confinement is not only punished far in excess of what a just punishment ought to be, but his services are lost to the country at a most critical time.”
Criminologist Professor David Wilson said: “The wonderful Dr John MacCallum is only ‘notorious’ because he was a conscientious objector. MacCallum’s story deserves to be much more widely known.
“I’d like to see the SRU acknowledge Dr MacCallum in some way.”