A MILITARY PUZZLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20076, 13 October 1928, Page 13

A MILITARY PUZZLE.

" BONA-FIDE SCOTSMEN." SEARCH FOR INTERPRETATION, What constitutes a bona-fide Scotsman ? Tho questio-i has arisen in consequence of the telegram sent by the War Office authorities to the Aldershot Command, stating that, until further notice only bona-fide Scotsmen are to be recruited in tho Scots Guards. In military circles tho definition of a bona-fide. Scotsman for recruiting purposes was found to be diffi cult, and more than once wlien the point was raised refuge was sought in tho answer, "It is a legal question. In order to ascertain how tho new order would bo interpreted at a recruiting station, the inquiry, "What constitutes a bona-fide Scotsman V was marie at tl,o Central London Recruiting Depot, Whitehall. An officer there immediately replied, "A man born of Scottish parents is a bona-fide Scotsman, no matter where ho was born." The question was then asked whether this test would be applied to recruits for (ho Scots Guards and a man. if one of his parents were Scottish and the other Eng. lish. be refused for tho regiment. The officer was unable to givo an immediate decision on this point. An application in a case such as that referred to would, ho said, not be refused, but it would be deferred for inquiry. A solution of the problem created by the new order was next sought at the regimental headquarters of tho Scoffs Guards. But even there it did not appear that tho question which had arisen could be easily answered No written description of what constitutes a bona-fide Scotsman seemed to bo available. Captain Dudley Woollan, the regimental, adjutant, gave his view on tho subject, which was as follows:—"For recruiting purposes a bona-fide Scotsman would be a man who was born in Scotland, or a man born anywhere, whose father was a Scotsman." Captain Woollan added that, a similar order had been in force before i end no doubtful cases had occurred.