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Dyce Conscientious Objectors Camp AB2 0HH

Opened in late 1916, Dyce Camp near Aberdeen was made up of 250 conscientious objectors. As an alternative to prison, their punishment was to break rocks in a granite quarry and suffer the indignity of being branded as 鈥渄egenerates鈥� by the local press.

The objectors were drawn from all walks of life: teachers, academics, shopkeepers and labourers. But they were in the main well educated and articulate - and even set up their own camp newspaper, The Granite Echo.

Living conditions at the camp were basic and many of the men were unused to hard labour. But when one of the objectors, Walter Roberts from near Stockport, died of pneumonia, Dyce Camp came to wider attention. The other men stepped up a letter writing campaign complaining about the conditions. There were visits to the camp by a Home Office committee and by future Labour prime minister Ramsay McDonald.

On the 19th of October, following a debate in Parliament, it was announced that Dyce camp would close. Barely two months after their arrival, the conscientious objectors were dispersed to prisons across Britain to complete their sentences.

Image copyright: Getty Images

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