Family Name:
Wollin
Given Names:
John Gregory
Gender:
Male
Birth-date:
21 May 1948
Death-date:
NA
Marital Status:
Single
Age Range:
Early 20s
Location:
VIC, Moorabbin
Occupation:
Engineering Student, Technical Officer
Primary Motivation:
Draft Resister, Opposition to war
Reason for Court Appearance:
Failure to attend a medical examination
Court Name and Location:
Magistrates Court, Melbourne
Court Hearing Date:
October 1972
Court Outcome:
Convicted and sentenced to 7 days imprisonment
Military Event:
National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
John Wollin was from Victoria. He registered for national service in May 1968.He was granted a deferment to complete his studies and he applied to be registered as a conscientious objector at the same time. During 1971 John decided to openly oppose the Vietnam War and withdrew his application for conscientious objection. During mid-1972 he was arrested at his workplace for failing to attend the mandatory medical examination. During Octobert 1972, the Melbourne Magistrates Court he was convicted and sentenced to 7 days imprisonment. It is likely the jailing was because he refused to enter into a recognizance to attend a future medical examination. Soon after John was issued with a call-up notice. He went underground for a few weeks before the election of the Whitlam government.
John was not prosecuted under the NSA. The government during 1971 and especially 1972 were reluctant to prosecute when the result would be jailing a young man. This was particularly in regard to a refusal to obey a call-up notice. This attracted 18 months’ imprisonment. The government aimed to minimize its political risk of having large numbers of young men in prison. All pending prosecutions under the NSA were stopped by the newly elected Whitlam Labor government in early December 1972.
Confirmatory Sources:
Peacemaker September/ December 1971, p.15; May/ June/ July/Aug 1971, p.11.
Personal Interview, John Woollin, October 2024.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 