HORNBY, Peter

Family Name:

Hornby

Given Names:

Peter

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

1946

Death-date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age/ Age Range:

20 years old

Location:

NSW, Cronulla or Wollstonecraft

Occupation:

Industrial Chemist

Primary Motivation:

Draft Resister-Opposition to conscription

Reason for Court Appearance:

[1] Refused to attend medical examination

[2] Non-payment of fine plus costs

[3] Refused call-up notice

Court Name and Location:

[1] Unknown, Unknown

[2] Unknown, Unknown

[3] Special Federal Court, Sydney

Court Hearing Date:

[1] 7 February 1968

[2] Unknown

[3] 1 October 1969

Court Outcome:

[1] Fine $30 plus costs $14 with 22 days imprisonment in lieu of non-payment

[2] Non-attendance, a warrant for arrest issued

[3] Warrant for his arrest and then likely imprisonment for 2 years

Military Event:

National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

Peter Hornby was from Sydney and registered for National Service with some misgivings in 1966. With further reflection he decided he could not further comply with the National service Acy 1964 (NSA 1964). On 7 February 1968 he was convicted for refusing to attend the mandatory medical examination. He was fined with costs or 22 days in jail if he failed to make the payment. Peter informed the court he would not comply with any future notices from the Department of Labour and National service. On the 10 March 1969 refused to obey a call-up notice. He was summonsed to appear in court on 1 October 1969. Peter Hornby with Brian Ross of Coringle in Victoria were the first of eight conscientious non-compliers who were currently disobeying call-up notices in late1969. They were to be summonsed to court where they were to be convicted and sentenced to two years jail. Peter was summonsed to attend court on 1 October 1969. He refused to attend but a statement of his was read to the court by Geoffrey Mullen a fellow draft resister. Peter said that he did not accept the authority of the National Service Act or that of the court acting under it. In response the Special Federal Court in Sydney issues a warrant was issued for his arrest. In the statement Peter said that, Conscience is a man’s personal response to a situation in which he is involved. He must be prepared to live in such a way that his actions are consistent with his conscience…Conscription denies the humanity and individuality of a human being. He becomes no more than the servant of the authority which conscripts. The authority of a government over an individual’s life can under no circumstances be justified. It has no inherent divine right to conscript for military service, nor does democratic sanction legitimize such authority. Peter then turned to the personal, In going to gaol I am following my conscience in the best way that I can. It is wrong to allow young men to be conscripted for military service, to be trained to kill under orders, and to be sent to fight in Vietnam. He then ended with the words, I will not allow myself to be conscripted by illegitimate authority. I urge each young man liable for conscription to act according to his conscience. The court was also informed that Peter had taken sanctuary at Sydney University. He undertook a schedule of protest meetings, gave a press conference, and visited Melbourne to address trade union and church groups. He then returned to Sydney Sunday 5 October 1969 in time to participate in the Students for a Democratic Society ‘be-in’. Peter was never jailed by the authorities, probably because it would have caused major political embarrassment to the government with elections fast approaching.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, January/ February 1969, p.6; December/ October 1969, p.1; November/ December 1969, p.8; May/ June 1970, p.4; October/ November 1970, p.6.

Tharanka, 14 October 1969, p.4.

Canberra Times, 2 October 1969, p.9.

Courtesy: The Peacemaker, January/ February 1969, p.6.