STEELE, Terence

Family Name:

Steele

Given Names:

Terence

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

Unknown, probably 1946

Death-date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Unknown, probably single

Age:

20 years old

Location:

VIC, East Hawthorn

Occupation:

Clerk

Primary Motivation:

Conscientious Objector, pacifist

Reason for Court Appearance:

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

[2] Appeal against exemption from combatant duties only

Court Name and Location:

[1] Magistrates Court Melbourne

[2] Magistrates Court, Hawthorn

[3] Failed to obey a second call-up notice

Court Hearing Date:

[1] 15 February1966

[2] 28 July 1966

[3] Late 1966 or early 1967

Court Outcome:

[1] Exempted from combatant military duties only

[2] Appeal dismissed

[3] Fined and given over to the custody of the army

Military Event:

National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972

Further Information:

Terence Steele was from East Hawthorn, an inner suburb of Melbourne. He applied for total exemption from military duties as a conscientious objector under the National Service Act 1964. At the magistrate’s court on 15 February1966, he was granted exemption from combatant military duties only. Terence informed the court that he was opposed to violence or killing in any form. He appealed the decision. His appeal was at the Magistrates Court at Hawthorn before Magistrate WN Thompson on 28 July 1966. His appeal was dismissed. Terence said he would rather go to jail than serve. He failed to obey a call-up notice twice, He had a injury when the second call-up notice was issued. At a court hearing he was fined and given over to the custody of the army. He was first taken to the Watsonia Military Barracks in Victoria and then by train to Kapooka Barracks in New South Wales, under the escort of two soldiers. After a day in solitary confinement, Terence agreed to undertake non-combatant training.

Confirmatory Sources:

Peacemaker, February 1967, p.3; March 1967, p.3.

Canberra Times, 29 July 1966, p.10. Bobbie Oliver, Hell No! We Won’t Go Resistance to Conscription in Australia, Interventions, Melbourne, 2022, p.262.