NZ Conscientious Objectors
David Gray, seated centre left, after being forcibly dressed in uniform aboard a troop ship bound for Europe, while another objector is forced into uniform.
During World War I and II members of the fellowship in New Zealand objected to performing military service. Although this was not official policy of the fellowship, many adult male members went to prison camp but a few members chose to perform medical services with the armed services.
New Zealand Government WW1 Archive records for 40 members of the fellowship are summarised in the table below and also available for download at the bottom of this page. The records include David Gray who was forceably deported to Europe along with other COs, some to be taken to the front lines and sentenced to detention repeatedly for refusing to obey orders.
Scans of the original NZ Army records are available at this page for the following individuals:
Arthur McIntyre Athol McFarland Bertie Morgan Charles Steele David Gray
Donald Christian Forbes Hodgins Frederick Herbert Frederick Plews Harry Rankin
Henry Ash Henry Plews Herbert Bland Isaac Aicken James Pickering James Vallance
James Walker Jasper O'Brien Jesse Morris John Duncan John Gray John Holtham
John Nixon John Wix Joseph Hogan Richard Hopkins Robert Patton Robert Stockdill
Ronald Arthur Samuel Stronge Smith Hedley Stanley Watchorn Thomas Dixon Thomas Fowler
Thomas Ireton Tom Kells Wilfred Davey Wlliam George Gray
A summary of their details is in the following table, and their records can be viewed or downloaded from Government records
There was also compulsory military service during World War II, so many friends were imprisoned for several years for refusing to serve. They were put to work clearing scrub and gardening at various prison farms.
Conscientious Objectors at Hautu Prison Camp (WW2)
Newspaper reports of the hearings to determine whether each member who had been selected for compulsory military service was to be exempt from service or sent to prison camp are available on the NZ Newspaper Reports page and are summarised on the NZ History page.
A series of poems which record daily life, are available at This Harmless Few
After WW2 ended, the head worker for New Zealand (Willie Hughes) issued the following statement at the final summer convention for 1945-46:
