SANDY, Geoffrey Allan

Family Name: Sandy

Given Names: Geoffrey Allan

Gender: Male

Age/Age Range: 20 years old

Birth-date: 13 April 1945

Death-date: Living

Location: VIC, Thornbury

Occupation: Tertiary Student

Primary Motivation: Conscientious Objector – Religious Pacifism

Reason for Court Appearance: Application for full exemption from all military duties

Court Name and Location: Court of Petty Sessions, Melbourne

Court Hearing Date: 23 January 1969

Court Outcome: Granted full exemption from all military duties

Military Event: National Service Act and Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

Geoffrey Allan Sandy was born 13 April 1945 at Clifton Hill Victoria. He moved with his working class parents to Thornbury, Victoria in 1949. He attended Penders Grove State School and then Northcote District Boy’s High School. He was accepted by Melbourne University to undertake a Bachelor of Commerce. He was a recipient of a Secondary Teachers Studentship which required him to complete a Diploma of Education and teach for five years after his degree. He was successful in all endeavours. During his university studies the Commonwealth Government introduced selective conscription which impacted him greatly.

The National Service Act 1964 (NSA) provided for selective conscription of young men turning twenty during the first six months of 1965 and thereafter every six months. Selection was by ballot dependent on the military requirements. All eligible young men were required to register under the NSA with the Department of Labour and National Service (DLNS). Geoffrey Allan Sandy registered on 2 February 1965 and received his registration certificate on 1 February 1965.He was in the first ballot held 10 March 1965 and his birthdate was selected. On 27 May 1965 Geoff applied for temporary deferment of the national service process to pursue his studies in commerce at Melbourne University. This was granted until the end of 1968 subject to satisfactory academic progress.

On 14 July 1966 he made application to the DLNS for permission to leave Australia to visit India during 1967. It was an offence for registrants to travel overseas without permission. This was granted 20 July 1966. He attended the compulsory medical examination and X-Ray on 16 October 1968. He was subsequently informed he was found to be Class A and that he would probably called-up during February 1969. On 6 May 1968 the DLNS granted Geoff further temporary deferment to complete his Bachelor of Education by December 1970. On 20 December Geoff married and changed his mind about pursuing the degree in Education. Instead on 13 November 1968 he made application to be registered as a conscientious objector.

He applied for full exemption of all military duties on the basis of his Christian pacifism. He had long held these beliefs and was a life-time worshipping member of the Anglican church. He exercised many lay ministry roles and taught Sunday school. He believed that Jesus called all his followers to be pacifist in regard to war. He could be part of an organisation in any way that was devoted to killing other human beings. His court hearing was held on 23 January and heard by the Stipendiary Magistrate (SM) LSF Smith. Geoff’s legal counsel was Alf O’Connor and he called two support witnesses, his father Alexander Sandy and the Revd. Stephen Cherry. The SM initially ruled that he had not demonstrated conscientious objection under the NSA. With immediate protests from both Geoff’s counsel and the Commonwealth Government’s counsel, the SM changed his mind and granted Geoff full exemption from military service. He was officially informed by the DLNS that his application had been successful on 13 February 1969.

Confirmatory Sources:

National Archives of Australia, National Service Registration and National Service Vocational Training Scheme. Series Number MP1227/1, Control Symbol 2005409-4, Barcode 14027172; Sandy, Geoffrey A. 2018. Conscientious Objection: S Personal Story – The Vietnam War Years. BusyBird Publishing, Montmorency, Victoria.

Image: Geoffrey A Sandy, 1967
Courtesy: Geoffrey A Sandy