Norman Baillie-Stewart : Biography

Norman Baillie-Stewart was born on 15th January 1909. He entered Sandhurst Military Academy and in 1927 was commissioned into the Seaforth Highlanders.

In 1933 he was charged with passing information to the Nazi government in Germany. Found guilty under the Official Secrets Act he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment.

On his release from prison in August 1937, Baillie-Stewart moved to Austria. He attempted to seek work but in February 1938 he was arrested and deported as an undesirable alien. However, he was able to return after Austria was occupied by Nazi Germany.

In September 1939 he was recruited by the German Radio Corporation and took part in the 'German Calling' programme. The main presenter of this propaganda was William Joyce (Lord Haw-Haw). Baillie-Stewart shared an office with another British traitor, Railton Freeman.

Baille-Stewart was highly critical of the scripts he was forced to read. On 24th December, 1939, after another dispute, the German radio corporation sacked him. He now began work as a translator with the German Foreign Ministry. Baille-Stewart returned to broadcasting for German Radio Corporation in 1942 where he worked under the pseudonym "Lancer".

In 1944, Baillie-Stewart moved to Vienna where he was captured by allied forces in 1945. He was sent to London to face charges of high treason. Unlike his colleague, John Amery, he was not charged with high treason, but with the lesser charge of "committing an act likely to assist the enemy". He was found guilty and sentenced to five years' imprisonment.

On his release he moved to Ireland under the pseudonym of James Scott, where he married and had two children.

Norman Baillie-Stewart died in Dublin of a heart attack on 7th June, 1966.