John McCallum was a 32 year old Doctor, a TB officer for Argyllshire and a leading Scottish football player when his call up came in August 1916. As a doctor he could easily have obtained exemption as his job was considered to be of ‘national importance’; instead he chose to make a stand in solidarity with other conscientious objectors.

After some time in Perth prison he accepted a place on the newly devised Home Office Scheme. This took him to Broxburn to Rough & Sons Cawburn Chemical Works just outside of Edinburgh. Here flesh and bones were turned into artificial manure. John and other conscientious objectors’ job was to dissemble carcasses, process them and finally pack them for despatch. Production of manure from such waste was essential to 19th century agriculture and was generally done by casuals, who passed through through town, and could only stand the smell and appaling conditions for a few days not by permanent labourers such as the conscientious objectors. John was there for 10 months.

The smell was foul, and the dust from the process caused bronchial problems; the men coughed up green matter and the conditions were unhealthy in any number of ways. As no locals were willing to house these evil smelling men they were housed in crowded and insanitary condition with no bathing facility a short distance from the works.

While manure was essential and indeed was work of national importance it was also clear that directing COs to this work was punitive as was the case with much of the Home Office Scheme. As a doctor John was aware of issues beyond the unpleasant nature of the job and complained about the hazardous conditions. His father, the Rev. Malcolm McCallum, says that his son expressed his disapproval of the hard usage undergone by the ordinary employees at the manure works, and showed a spirit of independence displeasing to the overseer. As a consequence he was sent back to prison where he spent the rest of the war much of it in solitary confinement.

Speaking in parliament about President Wilsons' executive order on conscientious objectors Lord Parmoor said: Take the case of Dr. McCallum, 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.