Family Name:
Joyce
Given Names:
Christopher K (Chris)
Gender:
Male
Birth-date:
Unknown, possibly 1948
Death-date:
Unknown
Marital Status:
Unknown, probably single
Age Range:
Early 20s
Location:
NSW, Maroubra
Occupation:
Unknown
Primary Motivation:
Draft Resister, anti-conscription
Reason for Court Appearance:
NA
Court Name and Location:
NA
Court Hearing Date:
NA
Court Outcome:
NA
Military Event:
National Service and Vietnam War 1964-1972
Further Information:
Christopher Joyce was from Maroubra in New South Wales. He registered for national service under the National Service Act 1964 (NSA) during 1968. He then refused to attend three medical examinations. A warrant for his arrest was issued on 2 February 1972. He was still not prosecuted in October 1972. It is likely Chris 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, March/ April 1971, p.11; May/ June/ July/ August 1971, p.11.
Tharunka, 18 October 1972, p.6.
Bobbie Oliver, Hell No! We Won’t Go! Resistance to Conscription in Post War Australia, Interventions, Melbourne, 2022, p.253.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 