THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL

Family Name:

Mason

Given Names:

Harleigh Cecil

Gender:

Male

Birth-Date:

Unknown, possibly 1935

Death-Date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age:

18 years old

Location:

SA

Occupation:

Unknown

Primary Motivation:

Conscientious Objector, religious

Reason for Court Appearance:

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

[2] Appeal of decision to grant exemption from combatant duties only

[3] Refusal to obey a call-up notice

Court Name and Location:

[1] Unknown. South Australia

[2] Supreme Court of South Australia, Adelaide

[3] Unknown, South Australia

Court Hearing Date:

[1] Early 1953

[2] 28 September 1953

[3] Early 1954

Court Outcome:

[1] Granted exemption from combatant military duties only

[2] Appeal dismissed, out of time

[3] Sentenced to fine and detention at Holsworthy Military Prison

Military Event:

National Service 1951-1959

Further Information:

 Harleigh Mason was from South Australia and a member of the Christian Assemblies. On the basis of his religious beliefs, he applied. for total exemption from military duties under the National Service Act 1951 (NSA). He was granted exemption from combatant military duties only. He appealed to the Supreme Court of South Australia in Adelaide on 28 September 1953. Judge Mayo disallowed the appeal as he ruled there were no special circumstances that prevented Harleigh lodging the appeal within the prescribed time under the NSA. Harleigh refused to obey a call-up notice. He was summonsed to court for that offence and was fined and committed to a ‘prescribed authority’ and sent to Holsworthy Military Prison in New South Wales. He was expected to serve at least 176 days as this was equal to the time of military training under the NSA. AS he did not voluntary present to the army he may have served longer that the 176 days. He was in Holsworthy during June 1954 when Vivienne Abraham of the Federal Pacifist Council of Australia visited all conscientious objectors in the facility.  It was noted that conscientious objectors were well-treated during their time there.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, September 1953, p.2; November 1953, p.2; September/ October 1954, p.2.

Bobbie Oliver, Hell No! We Won’t Go! Resistance to Conscription in Post War Australia, Interventions, Melbourne, 2022, p.226.