SIZE, William Michael

Family Name:

Size

Given Names:

William Michael

Gender:

Male

Birth-Date:

1895

Death-Date:

Unknown

Marital Status:

Single

Age:

18 years old

Location:

SA, Oakbank

Occupation:

Family Farm

Primary Motivation:

Conscientious objector, opposition to military conscription

Reason for Court Appearance:

[1] Failure to drill

[2] Failure to drill

[3] Failure to drill

Court Name and Location:

[1] Children’s Court, Woodside

[2] Police Court, Woodside

[3] Unknown, South Australia

Court Hearing Date:

[1] 3 September 1912

[2] 23 September 1913

[3] February 1914

Court Outcome:

[1] Convicted and fined £2 10s in lieu 21 days imprisonment

[2] Convicted and imprisoned in Fort Largs for 20 days

[3] Convicted and imprisoned in Fort Glanville for 10 days solitary confinement

Military Event:

Boy Conscription 1911-1929

Further Information:

William Size was from Oakbank, South Australia. He worked on the family farm which was described as small and poor. William belonged to a large family. He and his brother John were the oldest and so probably had more responsibility. He with his brother William had a conscientious objection to compulsory military training and refused to undertake drills. They were probably influenced by the views of their mother who was strong on the British sense of personal liberty. Some members of the Society of Friends interviewed both boys during 1914. The Friends reported that, They are big, well-grown lads, shy at first amongst strangers, typical Colonial youths, accustomed to rough life, and enjoying a spirit of independence, but one would gather good lads to their mother. The father is rather a poor tool we gathered.

William with his brother were summonsed to the children’s court at Woodside, South Australia, during September 1912 because they were behind in their drills. The senior cadets were charged by Lieutenant PA Laurie of having failed to render the ‘personal service’ required of them under the Defence Act (DA). Laurie asked Magistrate W Johnstone to fine each of them £5 plus costs to make an example of them. The brothers told the magistrate they were poor and were helping look after a big family. The magistrate severely reprimanded the defendants for not obeying the law and fined them £2 10s. The boy told the magistrate they could not pay and so will take the 21 days. The records are not sure if they paid the fine or were jailed.

Both boys continued to refuse to drill. They were again summonsed to the Police Court at Woodside on 23 September 1913. They were again proceeded against by Lieutenant Laurie. John and William both pleaded guilty to refusal to drill. The magistrate ordered they be placed in custody of the officer in charge of the detention camp at Fort Largs for a period of 20 days. He also ordered the boys to pay 15s in costs, in lieu of non-payment an extra 7 days in detention. Justice Keddie pointed out the seriousness of the offence and reprimanded the defendants for their behavior and the nonchalant manner in which they treated the proceedings.

Both were convicted and imprisoned for 20 days at Fort Largs. There they continued their non-compliance and refused to drill. They were manhandled, threatened and placed in solitary confinement cells 12 foot by 9 foot. They were given one blanket and fed bread and water for several days. During the second week they were allowed prison rations and separated from the other prisoners. A report by the secretary of the Australian Freedom League, commented on a visit by two members, during October 1913, to the military prison to visit the two brothers. This was reported in the Evening News in Sydney. The visitors stated they were, most favorably impressed with their appearance-they are brothers, aged, I suppose 18 and 19 years. They consciously object to taking part in any military drill and are resisting all attempts to coerce them. The visitors continue to say, They were pushed around the parade ground, and threatened by the officers if they did not obey orders. They saw other boys threatened also, and shown ’the military grip’, one lad having his elbow put out of joint by it. They were released Monday 12 October 1913, with the likelihood of being rearrested.

This was the case, and both were rearrested and convicted in February 1914, and sentenced to 10 days solitary confinement. John went back to Fort Largs, but William was sent to Fort Glanville. Both endured harsh conditions but William was treated better. Perhaps the authorities were attempting to break their spirit by treating them differently.

Despite the boys resolutely standing up for their conscientious objection to compulsion and enduring harsh prison conditions, they both enlisted for the AIP in August 1914.

Confirmatory Sources:

John Barrett, Falling In: Australians and “boy Conscription” 1911-1915, Hale and Iremonger, Sydney, 1979, pp.187-188, 199 and 200.

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

Advertiser, 4 September 1912, p.5

Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser, 26 September 1913, p.2.

Evening News, 21 October 1913, p.8.