Family Name:
Krygger
Given Names:
Walter James
Gender:
Male
Birth-Date:
Probably 1896
Death-Date:
Unknown
Marital Status:
Single
Age:
18 years old
Location:
VIC, Northcote
Occupation:
Assistant, Boot Store
Primary Motivation:
Conscientious objector, opposition to military conscription, religious
Reason for Court Appearance:
[1] Failure to attend compulsory military training
[2] Appeal to High Court to be exempted from compulsory military training
[3] Continued non-compliance with the Defence Act
[4] Arrested for non-attendance at court on 4 May 1914
[5] Continued non-compliance with the Defence Act
[6] Aiding, abetting and counselling others to take part in an illegal procession
Court Name and Location:
[1] Magistrates Court, Northcote
[2] High Court, Victoria
[3] Magistrates Court, Northcote
[4] Magistrates Court, Richmond
[5] Magistrates Court, Northcote
[6] Magistrates Court, Melbourne
Court Hearing Date:
[1] 25 August 1913
[2] August 1913
[3] 15 December 1913
[4] Early May 1914
[5] 18 May 1914
[6] 20 October 1917
Court Outcome:
[1] Committed to military officer for 2 months to make up the deficient drills
[2] Appeal dismissed
[3] Convicted and imprisoned at Fort Queenscliff for 28 days
[4] Granted bail on a surety of $20
[5] Convicted and imprisoned at Fort Queenscliff for 20 days
[6] Convicted and fined 40s in lieu 14 days imprisonment
Military Event:
Boy Conscription 1911-1929
Further Information:
Walter Krygger was from Northcote, a suburb of Melbourn. He had just moved to from the provincial city of Ballarat. He had a conscientious objection to compulsory military training under the Defence Act based on his Christian beliefs. His brother or cousin, Edward Roy Krygger, shared his beliefs. His father or uncle, Alexander Krygger, served with the Western Australian contingent in the Boer War. Walter wore glasses which were attached to his ear by a gold chain. He was a sensitive boy with an abhorrence of bad manners, coarse language and any type of roughness. He was secretary of the Northcote branch of the Australian Freedom League. He was an International Socialist.
He was summonsed to the Magistrates Court in Northcote on 25 August 1913. He told the magistrate he was opposed to military training on religious grounds and wished to be exempted. The magistrate dismissed his request and committed him to Staff Sergeant-Major R Jones for two months so as to allow opportunity for him to make up the hours of the mussed drills. Walter claimed liberty under the Union Jack. When the magistrate asked him how he thought that flag had been kept flying, he referred him to when Queen Victoria was asked by a Indian, what was the secret of England’s greatness, she held up the Bible. Walter’s mother was in court and visibly upset. She cried out, There’s no encouragement for boys to be Christians.
Walter appealed to the High Court during late August 1913. The appeal was dismissed
His brother or cousin, Edgar Krygger, had previously attempted to appeal for the same reasons, but it too was dismissed. This set a precedent that worked against Walter.
Walter continued to refuse to comply with the Act and attend compulsory drills. He was summoned to the Magistrates Court at Northcote on 15 December 1914. He was convicted and sentenced to 28 days at Fort Queenscliff. His incarceration proved to be intolerable. The first morning Walter, together with Harry Flintoff, refused to drill after Officer in charge William Bartop, ordered that they fall in and double march. The officer then ordered two other boys, Noonan and Rose, to take Walter and Harry. They hurt them deliberately and in Walter’s case a punch in the face and knocking him to the ground by Rose. An eyewitness, Magna Chart, said they stood near the end of the ranks and watched the officers laughing at Noonan and Rose, who were twisting up Kryggers arms behind his back. Walter still refused to walk. Then Noonan hit him, felling him to the ground, The officers stood by and looked on, Later Water said the officer in charge William Bartop adopted his usual method with boys like Walter and dragged him around the parade ground. This was before he called Rose and Noonan. Walter wrote to his family about the experience who forwarded the letter to the Federal Parliament. There was an inquiry at Queenscliff on 8 May 1914. It lasted 5 days. But in an eyewitness’s opinion the officers got the other boys to lie on behalf of them. Walter seemingly retracted his claim that Bartop had touched him. Claims and counter claims abounded. Nothing came of it.
After the detention he returned to his work as an assistant in the boot store. He had already been summoned to the Northcote court on 4 May 1914. He refused to attend. A warrant for his arrest was issued. He was arrested at work by Constable Frawley and taken to the Richmond police station. His mother was informed. He was let on bail with his own surety of £10 and £10 from his mother. On 18 May 1914, at Northcote Court he was convicted and sentenced to detention at Fort Queenscliff for 20 days. This time he was better treated with cell conditions and food. He refused to drill but after his refusal Major Taylor confirmed he would be given non-combatant military duties but would still have to do flag signalling and exercise parades. This Walter agreed to do. He was also permitted to hold church parades for which all the boys were formed up. This may have generated some resentment towards him. He was tossed about in a blanket one evening and this resulted in his glasses being broken and sapping off the gold chain. He was kicked in the head. Walter certainly suffered badly for his conscience’s sake. However, he did acknowledge it may have been a joke which went wrong
It is assumed that Walter continued with his noncompliance until the military ended his nightmare.
On 31 August 1917 he was charged with inciting persons to take part in a protest against the war in a prohibited place under the War Precaution’s Act, on 30 August 1917. He was remanded and pleaded guilty to addressing the crowd at the Yarra bank. Plainclothes Constable MJ Kiernan said that when the crowd was coming up from the Yarra Bank, Krygger urged them to form a procession and march up Swanston and Bourke streets to the Little Bourk Street watchhouse. Walter informed the court that he did not urge the crowd to form into a procession and he did not ask them to go to the watchhouse to give Adela Pankhurst a cheer. He was convicted and fined 40s, in lieu 14 days imprisonment. It is unknown if he paid the fine
Confirmatory Sources:
John Barrett, Australians and “Boy Conscription” 1911-1915: Fallin In, Hale & Iremonger, Sydney, 1979, p.97, pp. 178-193, p.199 and p. 246.
Bobbie Oliver, Peacemongers: Conscientious objectors to military service in Australia 1911-1945, Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 1997, p. 27.
Herald, 25 August 1913, p.7.
Advertiser, 26 August 1913, p.8; 12 May 1914, p.11.
Horsham Times, 26August 1913, p.5.
Truth, 13 June 1914, p.3.
Weekly Times, 1 September 1917, p34.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 