May 24.

As the only survivor of the party who escorted Rudolf Hess from Floors

Farm, Eaglesham, to the Home Guard Company HQ in Busby, the letters in

The Herald of May 17 and 20 were of particular interest to me.

First, may I congratulate Robert K. Shaw on his excellent recollection

of the meeting at Buchanan Castle, though I must say I believe that Hess

and the Duke had never met before. I have not read Lord James

Douglas-Hamilton's new book so I cannot comment on it, but his Motive

for a Mission was an impressive account of a very complicated situation

and I anticipate as much in its sequel.

Kenneth M. McIntosh's story is typical of the farcical effort to

rebuild or salvage the ME 110 in which Hess arrived. From the fragments

surrounding the wreck one of the Home Guard picked up the cockpit clock

but handed it in when dire threats were made of drastic consequences.

Months later it reappeared in a handsome case to be presented to a royal

visitor by the Lord Provost of Glasgow.

T. M. Riddell's story does not accord with the facts. Hess landed on

farmland north-west of Eaglesham and was taken captive by members of the

3rd Renfrewshire Bn, ''C'' Company, recruited from Clarkston, Busby

West, Netherlee, and Eaglesham, with one special constable and one

serving soldier from an anti-aircraft searchlight post close to the

scene of the crash. I can supply the names, rank, and type of weapon

carried for all but one of them and there was definitely no German rifle

among them. I also have ample confirmation of details from the families

of some of the other personnel closely involved.

The best true story belongs to a schoolboy who added several years to

his age and joined the Local Defence Volunteers (alias the Home Guard).

He donned his battledress, grabbed his rifle, and cycled to Floors Farm

and was with Hess in the ploughman's cottage when the Home Guard

arrived.

Fearing he might be found out, he hastily returned to his home in

Netherlee without taking any further part in the action. Later he served

in the Royal Navy and now lives happily in New Zealand, retired and

still riding the same bike.

Gordon Stewart,

11 Drummond Place,

Stirling.