FOX, Paul Alfred

Family Name:

Fox

Given Names:

Paul Alfred

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

Unknown, probably 1949

Death-date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age Range:

Early 20s

Location:

VIC, Box Hill

Occupation:

Unknown

Primary Motivation:

Draft Resister -Conscientious Objector

Reason for Court Appearance:

[1] Refusal to obey a call-up notice, no appearance at court

[2] Arrested after summonsed issued

[3] Application for full exemption from military duties as a conscientious objector

Court Name and Location:

[1] Unknown, Unknown

[2] Court of Petty Sessions, Melbourne

[3] Unknown, Unknown

Court Hearing Date:

[1] 1970

[2] 4 March 1972

[3] 26 May 1972

Court Outcome:

[1] Warrant issued

[2] Jailed for 18 months, released early

[3] Granted full exemption from military duties as a conscientious objector

Military Event:

National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

Paul Fox was from Box Hill in Victoria. He refused to obey a call-up notice on 22 April 1970. He was summonsed to court for that offence, but he failed to appear. A warrant for his arrest was issued. He went “underground” for some time. During 1971 he came out of hiding to engage in protest and give an interview. He was subsequently arrested and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on 4 March 1972 by Magistrate Thompson in the Melbourne Court of Petty Sessions. Paul was now resident in Eltham, a suburb of Melbourne. He asked the court to dismiss the charge against him and to release him immediately. He also told the court that he was, giving the court an opportunity to stand for peace and humanity and against war and hatred. When the magistrate entered the court Paul was holding a child in his arms and in an unsworn statement he said, Here today the charge against me is that I have refused to fight in a war where babies are the amin casualty. He was released from prison early. He then applied for full exemption from military duties on the basis of conscientious objection. He was granted full exemption on 26 May 1972.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, May/ June 1970, p.4; August/ September 1970, p.7; October/ November 1970, pp. 1 and 6;

Tribune, 29 September 1971, p.10.

Canberra Times, 4 March 1972, p.8.

Tharunka, 3 October 1972, p.7.

Paul Fox File, Vivienne Abraham Notes