Ernest Charles Dunstan

Oldham Tribunal 9 March 1916
Reported Oldham Standard 10 March 1916

Ernest Charles Dunstan of 247 Henshaw Street objected to any form of service, believing in the sanctity of human life and therefore being unable to take part in its destruction. He could not distinguish between actual fighting and assisting men who did fight. He was a Primitive Methodist and had held a conscientious objection to war ever since he was nine or ten years old. (Laughter)

The applicant was accompanied by a group of No-Conscription Fellowshipites and Councillor Frith complained that one of the individuals was interjecting remarks.

The mayor gave warning that if he heard any interjections from members of the public he would order the offender out of the room.

Councillor Frith: If they want to say anything tome then they must wait until I get outside and then I'll answer them in my own fashion.

The mayor asked the No-Conscriptionists if they did not think it would be wiser to accept non-combatant service in preference to something that would not be uplifting to them or anybody else. We know, his Worship added, that there are teachers going round but these teachers are giving the wrong lessons

The applicant was ordered to non combatant service.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dunstan was listed to appear at the Manchester Appeal Tribunal on 27 March 1916 but did not attend.
Oldham Chronicle 1 April 1916

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oldham Police Court 4 or 11 November 1916
Reported Oldham Standard 11 November 1916
[unclear whether the case was heard on day of publication or previous Saturday]

At the Oldham Police Court on Saturday morning, Ernest C Dunstan (26) and William Parker (24) were charged with being absentees under the Military Service Act.

The Chief Constable said that Dunstan should have reported to the recruiting Officer on October 17th but failed to do so. Authority was issued for his arrest. In his possession when arrested was found a certificate of exemption from combatant service only, his calling-up notice and a letter from the Pelham Committee, to reply to one from him asking for leave to apply to the committee. The letter was to the effect that the Pelham Committee could only advise applicants who had been directly referred to the committee by a Tribunal. There being no such reference in this case, the committee was unable to assist him.

Later the Chief Constable said that the man went to see the Mayor and was advised to write to the Pelham Committee. The Tribunal was not sitting.
Mr Booth (magistrates' clerk)said the Mayor had no power in this matter when the Tribunal was not sitting.
Mr Schofield (magistrate): Did you appeal in Manchester?
Dunstan replied that his appeal at Manchester was dismissed. He was late. The reason he did not turn up at the recruiting office was that he didn't intend to go into military service. He objected to non-combatant as well as combatant service.
The Chief Constable: Anything that will help this country?
Dunstan: Under the military system.

Defendant was handed over to Sergeant Major Bailey who was waiting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pearce states he was enlisted in the 4 Western Non Combatant Corps at Kinmel Park. He was court martialled for disobeying orders on 14 November 1916 and sentenced to 2 years with hard labour.
He accepted the Home Office Scheme and on 7 August 1917 was sent to Wakefield Work Camp.

Dunstan on the Pearce Register also indexed as Donstan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dunstan is named on the Wakefield Cocoa petition at Wakefield Work Centre, 27 September 1917.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Born Truro 24 February 1890
Died Oldham 14 June 1954

1911 census :
247 Henshaw Street, Oldham
Single with parents
Occ. Cotton spinner

1939 register :
247 Henshaw Street
Single with widowed father

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley