Barely a trace remains of Duncan McKenzie McInnes in official records. Family memory too is also slight; a few photographs and knowledge that he did something extraordinary remain.

Duncan was joiner who lived and worked in Partick in Glasgow. A keen cyclist he became Champion Roller Rider of Great Britain in 1915

When called up he refused to be conscripted into the Army in December 1916. From then until after the war Duncan moved between prison and Home Office schemes until finally being released from Dartmoor. The No Conscription Fellowship of which Duncan was a member kept track of CO prisoners through to the UK and arranged visits from supporters to offer friendship and a means of communication with the outside world. After release in 1919, Duncan married his one time prison visitor Winifred Nelson on 29th Dec 1919. Duncan and Winifred had 3 children.

Some of Duncan’s journey though the system can be gleaned from his Autograph book treasured by his family. Some of the comments his fellow COs made have, fortunately for posterity, provide dates and locations where he has been - Wakefield and Dartmoor amongst them.

Like Duncan many CO kept Autograph books and recorded comments from fellow COs as they moved between Home Office Schemes. Just as some wrote in Duncan’s so Duncan wrote in Sam Hollingsworth’s while in Wakefield.

His enthusiasm for cycling undimmed; he was still riding his bicycle at 80. Duncan died in Glasgow on the 23rd Feb 1978.

Brother of Archibald William McInnes