MARTIN, Charles Edward

Family Name:

Martin

Given Names:

Charles Edward

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

Unknown, possibly1946

Death-date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age:

20 years old

Location:

SA, Norwood

Occupation:

University Student

Primary Motivation:

Draft Resister-Opposition to capitalist society, anti-conscription, anti-Vietnam War

Reason for Court Appearance:

Refusal to obey a call-up notice

Court Name and Location:

Unknown, Adelaide

Court Hearing Date:

25 September 1970

Court Outcome:

Fined $200, sentenced to two years jail for refusing to obey a future call-up notice

Military Event:

National Service and Vietnam war 1964-1972

Further Information:

Charles Edward Martin of Adelaide, South Australia was an early registrant for national service during 1966. He was balloted in, but he then deferred until late 1969 so he could complete his tertiary studies. He was a member of the Draft Resisters Union. On19 December 1969 he received a call-up for military service which was to commence on 29 January 1970. He wrote to Minister Snedden indicating his refusal to comply with the NSA and accordingly he refused to obey the call-up notice. He was summonsed, pleaded guilty and was fined for this action. When Charles refused to enter into a recognizance to obey a future call-up notice he was sentenced to the statutory two years imprisonment in Yatala Gaol in South Australia. He also refused the Commonwealth’s offer to have a court consider as to whether he was a conscientious objector. Charles left a statement with his friends for publication before he was imprisoned. His major reason for his non-compliance was his opposition to the Vietnam War. He stated, I am sure an Australian military presence in Vietnam is not in the interests of peace, freedom or democracy for the people of Vietnam but on the contrary in the interests of justice and privilege. It is brutalizing and embittering all combatants as well as uncommitted sections of the populace. He viewed Australia’s involvement in Vietnam in a wider context and stated that, “Our involvement in Vietnam is the latest manifestation of a persistent trait of fascism in our society, expressed in racism…obsession with law and order, unquestioning acceptance of authority, a strong belief in the Protestant Ethic (i.e. “success” and wealth are a sign of goodness), and interpretation of freedom as meaning freedom to exploit”. Charles was listed on the War Resisters International, Prisoners for Peace 1970 Honour Roll, together with nearly 400 others known to be imprisoned in other countries. Later he was housed at the Cadell Training Centre. He was released on 9 October 1971 after 18 months imprisonment. Announcing his release, the Premier of South Australia, Don Dunstan, stated that Charles was a prisoner of conscience and should not have been imprisoned. He also remarked that Charles release followed the enactment by the Australian government to provide for the reduction of the period of full-time national service to 18 months.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, August/ September 1970, pp. 1 and.7; October/ November 1970, p.6; January/ February 1971, p.10; May/ June/ July/ August 1971, p.11; September/ December 1971, p.5.

Canberra Times, 31 May 1972, p.3.

Bobbie Oliver, Hell No! We Won’t Go: Resistance to Conscription in Postwar Australia, Interventions, Melbourne, 2022, esp. pp.180-183.