Family Name:
Glover
Given Names:
Brian Douglas
Gender:
Male
Birth-Date:
2 July 1949
Death-Date:
NA
Marital Status:
Single
Age:
20 years
Location:
NSW, Sydney
Occupation:
Student
Primary Motivation:
Draft resister, libertarian
Reason for Court Appearance:
[1] Refusal to register for national service
[2] Failure to attend the medical examination and refusal to enter a recognizance to attend a future medical examination
[3] Application for full exemption from military service
Court Name and Location:
[1] Federal Court, Phillip Street Sydney
[2] Federal Court, Phillip Street Sydney
[3] Federal Court, Phillip Street Sydney
Court Date:
[1] 2 March 1970
[2] 18 January 1971
[3] 17 June 1971
Court Outcome
[1] Convicted and fined $57
[2] Convicted and fine $50 for refusal to attend and convicted and sentenced to 7 days jail for refusal to enter a recognizance
[3] Granted full exemption from military duties as a conscientious objector
Military Event:
National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
Brian Glover was a student from Sydney, New South Wales. He studied Economics at Sydney University. He was 20 years old and a professed Christian. He was the son of a Methodist minister. In 1973 he married. He refused to register for national service and wrote to Minister Bury in 1969, outlining his reasons for not registering. He informed the minister that the State had no right to conscript him into the army and order him to kill another person. He quoted the lyrics of Bob Dylan of Masters of War. He was convicted at the Federal Court in Sydney on 2 March 1970 and fined $50 plus $7 costs.
Brian was a full-time anti-war and anti-conscriptionist activist during 1969 and 1970 and thoroughly radicalized. He was Chairman and then Secretary of the Sydney University’s Students for a Democratic Society from about March-September 1969 and secretary from September 1969 to around mid-1970.He took part in numerous sit-ins, demonstrations, leafleteering and talks to diverse community groups. He was arrested 5 times during demonstrations. He received a suspended expulsion from Sydney University for his part in the March 1970 Victoria Lee occupation of the Administration block.
During March 1969 Brian informed a meeting of the waterside workers at a lunch time meeting that, We all have a responsibility…If we can get together to show the Government that we won’t stand for the National Service Act and its conscription for Vietnam, then we’ll get somewhere on it. He viewed the National Service Act 1964 (NSA) as one of a number of undemocratic laws. Brian was active in handing out copies of a peace newsletter after addressing the waterside workers meeting.
Durin late October 1969 Brian spoke at the NSW Conference of the Methodist church held in Sydney. He and others, including his father and Robert Mowbray, a fellow draft resister, attempted to persuade the attended to take a strong stand in condemning the Vietnam War and withdrawal of all Australian troops. They were unsuccessful in persuading the assembled delegates. In May 1970, Brian with two other Sydney university students were expelled for occupation of the Administration building in March 1970. It was in support of expulsions of fellow students. Brian’s expulsion was in effect suspended on condition he did not break an University regulations for the next 12 months.
Brian’s non-compliance continued as he refused to attend the mandatory medical examination under the NSA. He was convicted and fined $50, on 18 January 1971 at the Federal Court Sydney for this offence. As was usual, the Government’s legal representative asked the Magistrate to impose a recognizance on Briam. He was to enter such and promise to attend a future medical examination. He refused and was convicted and jailed for 8 days for this offence. He was sent to Long Bay Prison.
During 1971 applied for and was granted by Magistrate AL Anable full exemption from military service on 17 June 1971. He explained why he ended his non-compliance, During 1971 I struggled with burnt-out, coming to terms with radicalism after a very conventional conservative upbringing, and some disillusion with the faction-fighting on the Left and with obnoxious behaviors of some persons on the Left. I determined at that point that I should apply for conscientious objection and did so
Confirmatory Sources:
Peacemaker, May/ June/ July/ August 1971, p.11.
Honi Soit, 5 March 1970, Vol. 43, No. 2, p.2.
Tribune, 26 March 1969, p.10; 5 November 1969, p.4; 20 May 1970, p.12; 20 January 1971, p.12.
Canberra Times, 19 January 1971, p.3; Sydney Morning Herald, 19 January 1971.
Personal Interview, Brian Glover, September 2024.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 