Family Name:
Somerville
Given Names:
James Graham
Gender:
Male
Birth-date:
27 July 1915
Death-date:
2014
Marital Status
Single
Age/ Age Range:
25-28
Location:
NSW, Haberfield
Occupation:
Accountant
Primary Motivation:
Conscientious Objector – Religious Pacifism
Reason for Court Appearance:
[1] Application for exemption from military service as a conscientious objector.
[2] Appeal of court decision.
Court Name and Location:
[1] Magistrate’s Court, Campsie, NSW
[2] Supreme Court, Queen’s Square, Sydney, NSW.
Court Hearing Date:
[1] 21 April 1942
[2] 22 February 1943.
Court Outcome:
[1] Application rejected.
[2] Appeal upheld.
Military Event:
World War II.
Further Information:
James (‘Jim’) Somerville was born in Murwillumbah, NSW on 27 July 1915. He was the son of a Methodist minister. After completing his Leaving Certificate at Fort Street Boys’ High School (where the alumni included H.V. Evatt), Jim trained as an Accountant. In 1939, when the Menzies government reintroduced conscription, he joined the Peace Pledge Union and applied to be exempted from military service as a conscientious objector. After his application was rejected, he travelled to North Queensland to avoid embarrassing his family if he was arrested. Although he was charged by the military authorities with refusing to take the oath of military service, no prosecution resulted. Nor was he arrested, and in 1943 his appeal against the court’s decision to refuse him exemption was upheld in the Sydney Supreme Court.
Jim married Brenda Alcock on 23 March 1945l, despite resistance from her parents because he was a conscientious objector. They were married for 52 years. In later years, and especially following his retirement, Jim was involved in preserving the natural environment. He also provided accountancy services free to Tranby Aboriginal College in Glebe, Sydney. In 1986, he was awarded the Order of Australia for services to conservation. He celebrated his 90th birthday by climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
He died at the age of 98 years in 2014.
Confirmatory Sources:
J.G. Somerville Papers, National Library of Australia, Canberra, Series MS7049; Attorney-General’s Department, NAA: A472, W4369, Item ID 100671, Title: Conscientious Objectors – Legislation re National Security (Conscientioius Objectors) Regulations, Part 1; James Somerville, interview with B. Oliver, Sydney, 29 April 1995; ‘James G Somerville Memorial Service’, Pittwater Online News, July 20-26, 2014, Issue 172, accessed on 4 October 2022 at: https://www.pittwateronlinenews.com/jamesgsomervilleammemorialserviceamunificentlife.php
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 