CAIRNS, James Douglas (Douglas)

Family Name:

Cairns

Given Names:

James Douglas (Douglas)

Gender:

Male

Birth-date:

18 October 1916

Death-date:

14 November 1986

Marital Status:

Married

Age:

26 years old

Location:

VIC, Parkville

Occupation:

Clerk

Primary Motivation:

Conscientious Objector, pacifist- religious

Reason for Court Appearance:

Application to be registered as a conscientious objector

Court Name and Location:

Magistrates Court, Melbourne

Court Hearing Date:

23 April 1942

Court Outcome:

Registered as a conscientious objector for non-combatant military duties only

Military Event:

WWII 1939-1945

Further Information:

Douglas was born 18 October 1916. He was called up on the 24 February 1942 during World War II period of 19139-1945. He was a Clerk by occupation and married to Anne Patricia Cairns. He was a member of the Church of England by religion and went regularly to church.. He completed his Leaving Certificate at secondary school. He and his wife were living in Parkville, an inner suburb of Melbourne.

Douglas was called up (Mobilization Attestation Form) on 24 February 1942. On the same day he attended an army medical examination and was judged to be unfit for service because of a duodenal ulcer associated with Dyspepsia. He was assigned to a non-combatant unit and took a modified oath of enlistment on 9 April 1942. He made an application to be registered as a conscientious objector. His application was heard by Police Magistrate Nicholas at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on the 23 April 1942. He was granted exemption from combatant military duties only.

His service and casualty history reveals that during October 1942 he was at Royal Park and during November 1942 he had been transferred to Wangaratta. Whilst at Wangaratta he suffered a Duodenal Ulcer during February 1943. He then spent some time with his unit at Heidelberg, Caulfield, Wangaratta and finally Darby. During September 1943 he returned to Heidelberg and the Service and Casualty Form noted that he had had an increase in family. Daughter (Cecilia) born 5 February1944. On 16 May 1944, Douglas was granted Group 111 Nursing Orderly. But, for some reason the proficiency pay granted in September 1943 was withdrawn and Douglas was re-graded to ‘trade’. This may have been carpentry as he was self-taught.

During June 1944 he was again medically assessed and was found to be still suffering from Dyspepsia. The Army decided to discharge him from Royal Park, where he had been transferred, on 30 January 1945.

Confirmatory Sources:

Personal Interview, Ceclia Cairns, October 2024.

National Archives of Australia, series number B884, control symbol V503209, item I D 4476206. James Douglas Cairns, service number QX37954. The NAA file is open and includes four documents:

Mobilization Attestation Form

Medical Examination

National Security (Conscientious Objectors) Regulations Service and Casualty Form