Family Name:
McDonald
Given Names:
Ian David Norman
Gender:
Male
Birth-Date:
Unknown, probably 1946
Death-Date:
Unknown
Marital Status:
Unknown, probably single
Age/ Age Range:
Early 20s
Location:
VIC
Occupation:
University Student
Primary Motivation:
Conscientious Objector-Pacifism Religious
Reason for Court/ Tribunal Appearance:
Application for full exemption from military service
Court/ Tribunal Name and Location:
Unknown, Victoria
Court/ Tribunal Hearing Date:
29 September 1966
Court/Tribunal Outcome:
Granted exemption from combatant duties only
Military Event:
National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
Ian McDonald was a Law student at Melbourne University. He had also. been accepted as a Theological Student by the Presbyterian Church. He was informed by the Department of Labour and National Service (DLNS) that as a Theological student he was automatically exempt from military service. Despite this Ian decided he would apply for full e exemption from military service as a conscientious objector grounded in his Christian pacifism. He appeared before Magistrate Bennett on 29 September 1966. He informed the magistrate that, he had held his Christian views for many years but had only developed specific pacifist views about the middle of last year”. Further he believed the DLNS,” had given him a free choice as to whether to proceed with the hearing and he had decided to do so for two reasons. He felt he had a duty to express his views whenever he could, and he was not prepared to shelter behind the protection of a class exemption as a theological student”. At the hearing Ian was supported by two Ministers of the church and a theological student who had known him for nearly two years. The magistrate granted him exemption from combatant duties only. It is unknown if Ian appealed the decision. Ian appeared on the same day as Christopher Nelms and Ian Howard.
Confirmatory Sources:
Peacemaker, October 1966, p.3.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 