Family Name:
Cornwell
Given Names:
Bruce Geoffrey
Gender:
Male
Birth-date:
Unknown, possibly 1950
Death-date:
Unknown
Marital Status:
Unknown, probably single
Age Range:
Early 20s
Location:
VIC, Brunswick
Occupation:
Unknown
Primary Motivation:
Draft Resister, Anti-conscription, Anti-Vietnam War
Reason for Court Appearance:
Refusal to register for national service
Court Name and Location:
Court of Petty Sessions, Carlton
Court Hearing Date:
25 November 1971
Court Outcome:
Convicted and fined $40 plus $22 costs
Military Event:
National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
Bruce Cornwell was from Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne. He was opposed to the National Service Act 1964 (NSA). He signed a declaration, from the May 1969 Conference of Non-Compliers. It read in part that the NSA, is unjust and undemocratic…We declare that we cannot in all conscience, comply with any aspect of this Act. He refused to register for the July 1070 intake of conscripts. On 25 November 1971 at the Court of Petty Sessions, Magistrate KJ O’Connor convicted and fined Bruce $40 plus $22 costs, for refusing to register for national service. He was well-supported in court. As the magistrate left the court, thirteen supporters clapped and cheered. They also sang ‘Happy Birthday’, presumably to Bruce. One female kissed Bruce and offered sweets to barristers sitting at the bar table. Another supporter threw confetti into the air and others put on party hats. The magistrate was not amused and had the 13 supporters arrested for contempt of court. They were taken to the Carlton watchhouse and then returned to court. He sentenced each to 3 days jail. The supporters were escorted from the court room singing “Power to the People’ and giving clenched fist salutes. It is unknown if Bruce continued his non-compliance with the NSA. If so it is likely he was not further prosecuted. 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, July/ August 1969, p.4; October/ November 1970, p.6; May/ June/ July/ August 1971, p.11.
Canberra Times, 26 November 1971, p.3.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 