McDONALD, Austin

Family Name:

McDonald

Given Names:

Austin

Gender:

Male

Birth-Date:

Unknown, possibly 1937

Death-Date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age:

18 years old

Location:

VIC

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 against exemption from combatant military duties only

Court Name and Location:

[1] Court of Petty Sessions, Victoria

[2] County Court, Wangaratta

Court Hearing Date:

[1] Early 1955

[2] 4 October 1955

Court Outcome:

[1] Granted exemption from combatant military duties only

[2] Appeal was upheld

Military Event:

National Service 1951-1959

Further Information:

Austin McDonald was from Victoria and belonged to a Christian sect. Based on his religious beliefs he applied for total exemption from military duties as a conscientious objector under the National Service Act 1951. The magistrate granted him exemption from combatant military duties only. Austin appealed the decision. The appeal was heard by Judge Dethridge at the County Court, Wangaratta on 4 October 1955. His appeal was upheld.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, December 1955, p.1.

Bobbie Oliver, Hell No! We Won’t Go! Resistance to Conscription in Post War Australia, Interventions, Melbourne, 2022, p.227.