Family Name:
Thomas
Given Names:
Alexander John (Sandy)
Gender:
Male
Birth-date:
Unknown, probably1951
Death-date:
Unknown
Marital Status:
Unknown, probably single
Age:
20 years old
Location:
VIC, Box Hill
Occupation:
Unknown
Primary Motivation:
Draft Resister, Anti-conscription
Reason for Court Appearance:
Failure to attend the medical examination
Court Name and Location:
Unknown, Melbourne
Court Hearing Date:
13 January 1972
Court Outcome:
7 days jail (for refusing a recognizance or no court attendance)
Military Event:
National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
Alexander Thomas (Sandy) was from Box Hill, a suburb of Melbourne. He was a member of the Draft Resisters Union in Victoria. He refused to register for military service under the Labour and National Service Act 1964 (NSA). He was opposed to military conscription. On 5 August 1971, he informed Minister Lynch of the Department of Labour and National Service of the reasons for his non-compliance with the Act. He was summoned to court on 13 January 1972 for failing to attend the mandatory medical examination and was sentenced to 7 days jail, probably because he refused to enter into a recognizance to attend a future medical, or he did not attend court. A warrant for his arrest was issued. He went ‘undergound’ to avoid arrest on 18 January 1972. On 9 November 1972 he was arrested at the family home of another draft resister, Michael Matteson. A third draft resister, Peter Gunning, was also present. All three were offering themselves for arrest by the police. The press and media and supporters had been alerted. The police were farcical in their response. Mrs Patricia Matteson had to phone Superintendent Watts of the Commonwealth police twice before the police acted. It took 11 hours before the police arrived and arrested Sandy and Michael, but not Peter who had repeatedly disobeyed a call-up notice. It appears the any prosecution against Sandy under the NSA was not undertaken. He was active in 1973 opposing the decision of the Whitlam Labor Government to not allow American draft resisters who had fled to Canada, but now were to be returned to the United States to face 3 years jail, sanctuary in Australia.
Confirmatory Sources:
Peacemaker, May/ June/ July/ August 1971, p.12.
Tribune, 14 November 1972, p.12.
Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, 10 November 1972, p.7.
Woroni, 6 April 1973, p.4.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 