HILL, Peter John

Family Name:

Hill

Given Names:

Peter John

Gender:

Male

Birth-Date:

Unknown, possibly 1947

Death-Date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age Range:

Early 20s

Location:

VIC, Croydon

Occupation:

Secondary School Teacher

Primary Motivation:

Conscientious Objector, anti-war, libertarian

Reason for Court Appearance:

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

[2] Second application for full exemption

Court Name and Location:

[1] Court of Petty Sessions, Melbourne

[2] Court of Petty Sessions, Melbourne

Court Hearing Date:

[1]1968

[2] 17 October 1968

Court Outcome:

[1] Application was not granted

[2] Application was not granted

Military Event:

National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

Peter Hill was a University Arts graduate and a High Scholl Teacher in Mathematics. He was 22 years old in 1968. He was from Croydon, a suburb of Melbourne. He entered the army as a national serviceman in February 1968. In a court hearing on 17 October 1968 to consider his second application to be fully exempt from military duties, he gave evidence he had refused to have a series of injections because he opposed compulsory injections. He was sentenced by the army to 5 days detention at Puckapunyal military training centre. Some time later he refused an order to repair torn army clothing and was sentenced to a further 7 days detention. An hour after his release from this detention he again disobeyed the same order and served another 7 days detention and was fined $40. The army then transferred him to Kapooka military establishment in New South Wales. He was sentenced to 5 days detention for refusing to wear army uniform. He was then given leave without pay to make his first application to be exempt from all military duties as a conscientious objector. In his application he indicated that the army philosophy was incompatible with his belief in the individual’s right to make his own decisions, particularly on the issue of killing. He said, Killing in self-defence could be acceptable in some extreme circumstances, but in war and in most other situations it was wrong and immoral. Accordingly, he said it was immoral for him to waste his time in the army in view of the desperate shortage of teachers. Magistrate Thompson observed that Peter was not consistent with disobeying orders, and said, He only objects to some orders. He has not satisfied me that he has a conscientious belief sufficient to gain exemption. Shortly after the court hearing the army court martialled Peter and sentenced him to 84 days detention in Holsworthy Military Corrective Establishment for being without leave between his first and second applications. Peter went on a hunger strike for 10 days and refused to obey any order. After two weeks he was discharged from the army as medically unfit.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, September/ December 1968, p.3.