大象传媒

In 1918 some wooden huts on the outskirts of Ditton Priors, where 25 men were sleeping, were burnt down. The probable cause was arson. Fortunately nobody was harmed in the blaze. The huts were a conscientious objectors' camp and the men were labouring at Brown Clee quarry.

In 1917 being a conscientious objector wasn鈥檛 a soft option. It meant a tribunal, imprisonment (often in appalling conditions) hard labour and poor rations. Conscientious objectors were humiliated and sneered at 鈥� called cowards and shirkers.

Albert Hinton was interned at Ditton Priors camp. His family discovered the story researching some photos, found in an old box. His son David Hinton and grandson Andrew Neenan said he was no coward 鈥渏ust firm in his beliefs. A thinking man. A man of conscience.鈥�

Location: Ditton Priors, Shropshire WV16 6TD
Image of conscientious objectors (Albert Hinton to the far left)
Photograph courtesy of David and Wendy Hinton