ADAMS, John Patrick

Family Name:

Adams

Given Names:

John Patrick

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

Unknown, probably 1949

Death-date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age/ Age Range:

Early 20s

Location:

VIC, Elsternwick

Occupation:

Unknown

Primary Motivation:

Draft Resister

Reason for Court Appearance:

[1] Refused to register for National Service

[2] Refused to attend the medical examination

[3] Refused to obey a call-up notice

[4] Referred by Minister under reg32A

Court Name and Location:

[1] Unknown, Melbourne

[2] Unknown, Melbourne

[3] Unknown, Melbourne

[4] Unknown, Unknown

Court Hearing Date:

[1] 2 June 1969

[2] Unknown, late 1969

[3] 24 June 1971

[4] 1972

Court Outcome:

[1] Fined $40 plus $2 costs

[2]Jailed 4 days for non=payment of fine

[3] Fined and Jailed 7 days

[4] Granted full exemption from military duties as a conscientious objector

Military Event:

National Service Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

John Adams was from Elsternwick in Victoria. He was a signatory to a letter that was signed by all present at a May 1969 meeting of a conference of non-compliers. It was sent to the Minister of Labor and National Service. It informed the Minister that none of them in all conscience could comply with any aspect of the Act. Accordingly John refused to registor for the January 1969 intake under the Act. He was convicted and fined for this offence. He continued his conscientious non-compliance and refused to attend the mandatory medical examination. In late 1969 he was jailed for 4 days because of this offence. He received a call-up notice on 14 September 1969. He was convicted on 24 June 1971 and was jailed for 7 days. He was referred by the Minister under reg.32A of the NationalService Act. His name appears on list held by the NAA as being granted full exemption. The list is dated 17 August 1972. The government often used this to minimise the political damage to it by registering ‘troblesome’ young men instead of having to jail them. Men could be referred with their agreement or not.

John also sent a poem he composed to the Minister in February 1969 which was published in The Peacemaker , January/ February 1969, p.6. In part it read, you want to put me in your horrible army, I say no, you will tell me to kill, I say no: to you my country, to you my government, to you my people, I say, ‘go to hell’. Another stanza read, I will not be conscripted, I will not register, I refuse to condone the massed stupidity, the organized barbarism of your army. He concludes, my country, my world I love you, upon the cold mountain of my rebellion I sit and weep warm tears, my heart is sad, I cry for you.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, July/ August 1969, p.4; November/ December 1969, p.8; January/ February 1979, p.6; May/ June 1970, p.4; May/ June/ July/ August 1971, p.12.

NAA, MP1357/1, item barcode number 12248074, control symbol 71, Title: Conscientious Objector Register, 17/8/1972. Full exemption. Registration number 2120908.