| Description | North Riding appeal tribunal number: 3971
Appeal against conscription of: David Henry Johnson
Age: 26
Address: 20 Jackson St, Brotton
Occupation: Grocer's manager
Local tribunal: Skelton and Brotton Urban District Council
Central tribunal: No
Military Service Act 1916 or Attested: Military Service Act
Grounds for appeal: d) serious hardship, f) conscientious objection
Appellant: David Henry Johnson
Summary of case: Johnson writes from Durham Prison, where he is spending his second term of imprisonment as a conscientious objector. He writes that as Lord Curzon has made it clear that COs can be given conditional exemptions in certain circumstances; he has been allowed to write to the local tribunal to consider his case again. The tribunal had required him to take up work of national importance, but he had refused to replace a man who would then take up active service, and he was not prepared to allow himself to be used for the more efficient prosecuting of the war. Whilst in Wormwood Scrubs prison for his first term, he had been offered, and refused, the Home Office scheme of work. He has found that the man who replaced him in his usual job has been granted exemption, thus proving that it was work of national importance, and that he should be allowed to return to it. The letter is dated 23 Feb 1918. Johnson's letter was forwarded from the local tribunal who had dealt with the original appeal on 1 Aug 1917. The North Riding Appeal Tribunal wrote to Johnson on 18 Mar 1918 to tell him that they were not prepared to make any recommendation to the authorities in his case.
Supporting evidence: No
Date and decision of North Riding Appeal Tribunal: 27 Jul 1917. Dismissed. |