THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL

Family Name:

Flintoff

Given Names:

Harry

Gender:

Male

Birth-Date:

Probably 1896

Death-Date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Single

Age/ Age Range:

18 years

Location:

VIC, Richmond

Occupation:

Cabinet Maker Apprentice

Primary Motivation:

Conscientious objector, opposition to military conscription

Reason for Court Appearance:

[1] Refusal to undertake compulsory military training

[2] Continued non compliance with the Defence Act

[3] Continued non compliance with the Defence Act

[4] Refusal to obey orders whilst in military detention

[5] Continued non compliance with the Defence Act

[6] Refusal to obey orders whilst in military detention

[7] Continued non compliance with the Defence Act

Court Name and Location:

[1] Magistrate’s Court, Richmond

[2] District Court, Melbourne

[3] District Court, Melbourne

[4] Queenscliff Fort

[5] District Court, Melbourne

[6] Queenscliff Fort

[7] District Court, Melbourne

Court Hearing Date:

[1] 14 April 1913

[2] 12 December 1913

[3] 17 March1914

[4] April /May1914

[5] April 1914

[6] May 1914

[7] June 1914

Court Outcome:

[1] Convicted, committed to military custody and fined £2

[2] Convicted and sentenced to 12 days at Queenscliff Fort

[3] Convicted and sentenced to 20 days at Queenscliff Fort

[4] Sentenced to solitary confinement for 7 days

[5] Convicted and sentenced to 21 days at Queenscliff Fort

[6] Convicted and sentenced to Queenscliff Fort

[7] Sentenced to solitary confinement

Military Event:

Boy Conscription 1911-1929

Further Information:

Harry Flintoff was an 18 year old who lived with his mother in Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne. His father had died when he was 4 years old. He had brother Fred who was too old for compulsory military training. Harry was a Cabinet-Maker Apprentice. He was elected Assistant Secretary of the Passive Resisters Union (Anti Conscription. He was also secretary of the Richmond branch of the Australian Freedom League. Harry Flintoff came from a family that had a conscientious objection to military conscription based on his socialist beliefs. However, in 1977 his widow maintained that he never a socialist and was always a Christian.

He failed to perform compulsory military training under the Defence Act. He was summonsed to the magistrate’s court at Richmond before Magistrate Morrison, on 14 April 1913 He was one of many boys who were deficient in their required drills. An order was made for the committal of these defaulters to the custody of the Staff Sergeant-Major until the drills were completed and fines were also imposed.  Harry was deficient in 16½hours and was fined £2. In March 1913 he wrote to the Socialist which read, Dear Comrades I  beg to inform you that a Passive Resisters Union has  been  formed in Melbourne to resist conscription,  and  now has a  membership of eighteen conscientious objectors. Will you kindly allow me to open a subscription through your paper? To make a start in our campaign against militarism we urgently need financial assistance.

He continued his non-compliance with the Defence Act. He had previously been committed to a Military Officer to make up the drills. After his release he refused to drill. He was summonsed to the Melbourne District Court on 12 December 1913.  He informed the magistrate that he believed all war was wrong. The magistrate appeared to acknowledge the sincerity of his conscientious objection but told Harry he was there to administer the law. Harry was convicted and sentenced to twelve days detention at Queenscliff Fort. Whilst there he was joined by Walter Krygger who was another conscientious objector.

Harry was again convicted and sentenced to 20 days at Queenscliff Fort during March 1914. During that detention he was placed in solitary confinement for 7 days because of his refusal to obey order. During April/ May he was placed in solitary confinement for 7 days. A letter to the editor which cited a Statutory Declaration from Harry, and her own assessment of his character was  sent  to the Advertiser. It read, I was sentenced by a commanding officer to seven days in the cells. The cell which I occupied was constructed of wood with an iron door and was about left square. It contained a wooden bed, the bedding of which was taken away it (sic) 6.30 each  morning and returned 12 hours later, but no other  furniture. The cell was half-dark, being lighted by an opening  about 18in by6in, near the ceiling. The only exercise allowed was 15 minutes with an escort each morning and afternoon. The writer to the editor stated that, The lad Harry Flintoff of Richmond, Victoria, is not a malefactor, but a steady respectable lad…Like other International Socialists, he is against the drill on conscience grounds.

 He reported physical abuse whilst in the detentions. One night both he and Walter Krygger had heavy wooden mallets thrown alarmingly and dangerously at their tent by other detainees. He assured Mrs Krygger that he would stand  by Walter. He wrote to Mrs Krygger and said, will you kindly write couraging letters to Walter not sad, don’t tell him you are broken hearted as you are making him lose his courage. He arrived  several days  before Walter, Harry was dragged around the parade  ground by two soldiers – he  being the only one of  about 50 detainees to refuse to drill

In April 1914, only 19 days after his release from his second detention he was sentenced to 21 days in the Queensciff Fort. The multiple detentions took their toil and with his resilience was broken to the extent he performed non combatant military duties after his second detention. He was again put in solitary confinement for refusal to obey orders, about half way through the third detention.  Harry managed to escape and spent the war years in the Mallee District of Victoria.

Confirmatory Sources:

John Barrett, Australians and “Boy Conscription” 1911-1915: Falling In, Hale &Iremonger, 1979, p. 91, 181, pp.183-188, p. 192, 197, 199 and 246.

Bobbie Oliver, Peacemongers: Conscientious objectors to military service in Australia 1911-1945, Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 1997, pp. 24 and 27.

Advertiser, 12 May 1914, p.11.

Socialist, 19 December 1913, p.3; 9 January 1914, p.3; 13 March 1914, p.2; 17 April 1914, p.2.

Herald, 14 April 1913, p.5Argus, 13 May 1914, p.13.