Family Name:
Giles
Given Names:
Alfred Francis (Frank)
Gender:
Male
Birth-Date:
1898
Death-Date:
NA
Marital Status:
Single
Age Range:
14 years old
Location:
NSW, Broken Hill
Occupation:
Possibly worked in the mines
Primary Motivation:
Conscientious objector, opposition to military conscription
Reason for Court Appearance:
[1] Failure to register for compulsory military training under the Defence Act
[2] Continued non compliance with the Defence Act
Court Name and Location:
[1] Magistrates Court, probably Boken Hill
[2] Magistrates Court, probably Broken Hill
Court Hearing Date:
[1] 27 August 1912
[2] Late January 1913
Court Outcome:
[1] Convicted and fined £3 plus 6s costs, and sentenced to prison for two weeks for refusal to pay the fine
[2] Warrant for arrest issued
Military Event:
Boy Conscription 1911-1929
Further Information:
Frank Giles was from Broken Hill in New South Wales. His father Alfred was a Journeyman Butcher that served the local mining community. It was described as radical and remote.. His father was a member of the Amalgamated Miners Association and the Australian Socialist Party. Frank did not register for compulsory military training and performed no drills. His father Alfred Giles was also summoned to court for his failure to ensure Frank had registered. Both had conscientious opposition to military training. Alfred Giles and Harry Holland were the first two fathers to be prosecuted under the Act.
Frank was highly regarded by his employer. He was seized at work and taken to the Police Court at Broken Hill on 27 August 1912. Apparently, Frank had already attended the mandatory medical and was passed fit to drill. He was convicted by Magistrate CF Butler and committed to military officer Lieutenant Davey for 64 hours. He was fined 3s court costs in lieu 6 hours imprisonment. Frank refused to allow his father to pay the costs and so Frank was imprisoned during September 1912. The imprisonment was two weeks including a week of solitary confinement. He was on bread and water for 7 days and then for the other 7 days something a little better. His parents were allowed to see him after the end of the first week and were surprised to see him in prison clothes. According to his father Albert Giles, We had o go into a little room and sit of a form facing an iron barred window, and then the boy was brought in and placed about 6 feet from the window outside and a warder stood between us, his father and mother. We were warned not to tell the boy anything that was going on outside, only speak on family matters. The boy said he was weak after the first 7 days he could hardly lift his hands to his face, from starvation, the gaol the authorities tried everything to get the boy to give in, and let then send and ask me to pay the fine, but he would not. The prison doctor even went so far as to tell the boy that he would have to do full time on bread and water the next time he was sent up there. They told him he would be looked on as a criminal and all sorts of harsh things, but the boy had too much courage to give in.
He was released on 12 September 1912. At the AMA picnic sports day on Friday 27 December 1912, family, friends and members of the AMA formed a guard of honour and presented him with a gold medal commemorating his bravery. This later became popular with Soldiers Welcome Home Committee for servicemen returning home to their local community from WWI. Later in January 1913 a warrant was issued for his arrest for continued noncompliance with the Defence Act. The future is unknown, but it is likely given such resolve Frank continued with noncompliance.
Confirmatory Sources:
John Barrett, Australians and “Boy Conscription” 1911-1915: Falling In, Hale&Iremonger, 1979, p115, 141, pp.176-177, p.199, 238 and 254.
Bobbie Oliver, Peacemongers: Conscientious objectors to military service in Australia 1911-1945, Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 1997, pp. 24 and 27.
Barrier Miner, 27 August 1912, p.2.
Daily Herald, 23 September 1912, p.6; 29 August 1912, p.5.
Geelong Advertiser, 28 December 1912, p.3.
THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE HONOUR ROLL 