WOOD, William Robert (Bob)

Family Name:

Wood

Given Names:

William Robert (Bob)

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

Unknown, possibly 1951

Death-date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age Range:

Early 20s

Location:

NSW, Chippendale

Occupation:

Nurse

Primary Motivation:

Draft Resister, anti-conscription

Reason for Court Appearance:

[1] Failure to register for national service

[2] Failure to attend the medical examination

[3] Failure to enter into a recognizance to attend a medical exam

[4] Refusal to attend a medical exam, failure to pay a fine of $150, refusal to enter a recognizance to attend a medical exam and non-payment of fine for not registering for national service

Court Name and Location:

[1] Court of Petty Sessions, Sydney

[2] Court of Petty Sessions, Sydney

[3] Court of Petty Sessions, Canberra

[4] Special Federal Court, Sydney

Court Hearing Date:

[1] Possibly 1971

[2] Early 1972

[3] 18 May 1972

[4] 19 May 1972

Court Outcome:

[1] Fined $50

[2] Fined $150, jail in lieu of non-payment

[3] Extradited to New South Wales

[4] Jailed for 33 days for refusing to pay fine $150, 7 days jail to refusing to pay $50 fine for non-recognizance for a medical, 15 days jail for non-payment of fine for refusal to register. The 7 days and 15 days jail to be served concurrently with the 33 days jail.

Military Event:

National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

William Robert Wood was from Chippendale in New South Wales and a Catholic by religion. He was active in the Catholic Youth Organisation. He was a Nurse at Saint Vincents Hospital. He refused to register for National Service as he was required to do under the National Service Act 1964 (NSA). His non-compliance continued with refusal to attend the mandatory medical examination and any other cooperation with the authorities. He also refused to comply with a call-up notice. He was subject to a warrant for his arrest. Robert was active in the Draft Resisters Union and demonstrations and protests, with the aim of having the NSA repealed. On 18 May 1972 was a protest outside Parliament House in Canberra. Chris Shanley, another Draft Resister went inside Parliament House and informed the attendants he had a statement to be given to Senator Ivor Greenwood, Attorney General. It was signed by William Robert Wood. Chris was then arrested as the police mistakenly thought he was Robert Wood. Chris was ‘bundled’ into a police car and driven away shouting he was not the man the police wanted. Later Robert left with the police after identifying himself. The Statement for Greenwood explained why Robert had adopted his non-compliance with NSA and a challenge for him to be arrested. The media and police had been warned in advance that Robert would be present and was inviting his arrest. This farcical episode was a great embarrassment for the government and the Attorney General. Under parliamentary privilege Senator Greenwood called Robert a, tuppeny ha’penny dodger and a prankish communist. This was not the view of 25 Sydney Catholic priests who met on 19 May 1972 to consider abolition of compulsory celibacy. They declared their support for all draft resisters and sent a letter to the government and church leaders. It read in part, We have been confronted with the problem of conscience faced by Catholic young men as a result of the present National Service Act which imposes conscription…A number of these young men, including Robert Wood, Michael Parsons, Peter Galvin, John Wollin and Chris Shanley, have been led by their conscience to take a public stand as draft resisters…We admire the moral courage with which they risk jail in order to oppose a law they believe is unjust. The letter continued that the young men’s objection to conscription and refusal to obey an ‘unjust law’ were based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and have the support of Catholic tradition.

Robert had a long history of non-compliance with the NSA. He refused to register for National Service, he refused to attend the mandatory medical examination or enter into a recognizance to do so in the future. He was fined and imprisoned in Long Bay for these offences under the NSA. He refused to obey a call-up notice and a warrant for his arrest was issued. Upon conviction Robert faced 18 months jail. It would appear that he was prosecuted for this offence, and it was dropped when the incoming Whitlam Labor Government suspended the NSA and dropped all pending prosecutions in early December 1972.

Confirmatory Sources:

Canberra Times, 19 May 1972, p.1; 20 May 1972, p.1 and p.8; 24 May 1972, p.2.

Tribune, 23 May 1972, p.12.

Tharunka, 18 October 1972.p.6.

Peacemaker, September/ December 1971, p.1.