Family Name:
Cutrapi
Given Names:
Michael
Gender:
Male
Birth-date:
Unknown, posibly 1945
Death-date:
Unknown
Marital Status:
Unknown
Age/ Age Range:
Early 20s
Location:
NSW
Primary Motivation:
Conscientious Objector – Pacifist Religious
Reason for Court Appearance:
[1] Application for full exemption from military duties
[2] Refusal to ObeyCall-up Notice
[3] Refusal to obey army orders
[4] Refusal to obey army orders
Court Name and Location:
[1] Unknown, Sydney
[2]Special Commonwealth Court, Sydney
[3] Court Martial. Kapooka
[4] Court Martial Kapooka
Court Hearing Date:
[1] unknown, possibly 1966
[2] unknown, possibly 1966
[3] 1 March 1967
[4] 4 April 1967
Court Outcome:
[1] Exempted form combatant duties only
[2] Forcibly drafted into the army
[3] Imprisoned 28 days Holsworthy Correctional Facility
[4] Imprisoned 58 days Holsworthy Correctional Facility
Military Event:
National Service Act and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
Michael Cutrapi was a Jehovah’s Witnesses from New South Wales. He could have expected to have received a full exemption from military service given their church’s strong doctrinal neutrality to all war, and of belonging to any organisation outside of it. Michael applied for full exemption from military duties but was exempted from combatant duties only. He adopted non-compliance and refused to obey a call-up for non-combatant duties. He was summoned before the Special Commonwealth Court in Philip Street Sydney. As an outcome he was forcibly drafted into the army and sent to1st Recruit Training Battalion at Kapooka. He refused to obey any orders, in particular signing for this army issue and putting-on his army uniform. He stated that their refusal to obey orders, any orders, was because they were contrary to their Christian beliefs. As a result the army responded with a court martial on 1 March 1967 and sent Michael to Holsworthy Correctional Facility. Michael reported he was placed in solitary confinement on bread and water. The cell contained no furniture and he was forced to sleep on a concrete floor with just three blankets issued to him. He was further imprisoned in Holsworthy for a further 58 days for continuing to refuse oders. It is unknown what his ultimate fate was. This was also the experience of William Perry who was also a Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Confirmatory Sources:
Peacemaker February 1967, p.3; March 1967 p.3; April/May 1967 p?.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 