Archibald Baxter
Encyclopedia
Archibald McColl Learmond Baxter (13 December 1881 – 10 August 1970) was a New Zealand
pacifist, socialist, and anti-war activist.
He refused to serve during the first world war, on the grounds that "all war is wrong, futile, and destructive alike to victor and vanquished." So he was arrested in 1917, imprisoned, then shipped to the western front and beaten, starved and tortured by the army in an effort to get him to put on a uniform and serve. Still refusing, he was given Field Punishment No.1
- in effect, being crucified on a pole in open fire - and later was tied to a shed being used by the Germans for artillery practice. He suffered a complete physical and mental breakdown, but survived, and returned to his Otago farm after the war
In 1921 he married Millicent Amiel Macmillan Brown, deaughter of John Macmillan Brown
, foundation chair of Canterbury College
.
His autobiography We Will Not Cease was published in 1939. It covers in detail his experiences in World War I.
His son James Keir Baxter (named in part after Keir Hardie
) is one of New Zealand's most famous poets. His eldest son Terence was also imprisoned for refusing to serve during World War II.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
pacifist, socialist, and anti-war activist.
He refused to serve during the first world war, on the grounds that "all war is wrong, futile, and destructive alike to victor and vanquished." So he was arrested in 1917, imprisoned, then shipped to the western front and beaten, starved and tortured by the army in an effort to get him to put on a uniform and serve. Still refusing, he was given Field Punishment No.1
Field punishment
Field punishment was a military punishment formerly used in the British Army and other armies of the British Empire. It could be awarded only to soldiers on "active service", meaning during war time, in a country occupied by the enemy. It was introduced in 1881 following the abolition of flogging,...
- in effect, being crucified on a pole in open fire - and later was tied to a shed being used by the Germans for artillery practice. He suffered a complete physical and mental breakdown, but survived, and returned to his Otago farm after the war
In 1921 he married Millicent Amiel Macmillan Brown, deaughter of John Macmillan Brown
John Macmillan Brown
John Macmillan Brown was a Scottish-New Zealand academic, administrator and promoter of education for women.Brown was born in Irvine, the sixth child of Ann Brown and her husband, James Brown, a sea captain. John was raised in a family that placed high value on education—for both sexes...
, foundation chair of Canterbury College
Canterbury College
Canterbury College can mean any one of a number of educational institutions:*Canterbury College, Oxford, a former college of the University of Oxford*University of Canterbury, formerly known as Canterbury College, in New Zealand...
.
His autobiography We Will Not Cease was published in 1939. It covers in detail his experiences in World War I.
His son James Keir Baxter (named in part after Keir Hardie
Keir Hardie
James Keir Hardie, Sr. , was a Scottish socialist and labour leader, and was the first Independent Labour Member of Parliament elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
) is one of New Zealand's most famous poets. His eldest son Terence was also imprisoned for refusing to serve during World War II.
External links
- Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Article
- eText of We Will Not Cease
- Archibald Baxter on lestweforget.org.nz
- Military Personnel File online; digitised record at Archives New Zealand.