Justice

Roy David

Stoker

3537

Not Jewish

Other

Roy David Justice was not Jewish, but a Star of David is on his gravestone. Parents David Charles JUSTICE (died 15/11/1943 buried together with his wife at Phillip Island Cemetery, Presbyterian Section) and Isabella née MILLER (died 18/10/1946) were married on 2 October 1888 by Presbyterian Minister William Lowther according to the rites of the Presbyterian Church. None of the grandparents was Jewish; the maternal grandmother's maiden name was Flora McINNES. On enlistment for WWI, Roy's brother, 1807 L/CPL Harry Justice, attested he was Presbyterian and he is also buried at Phillip Island Cemetery in the Presbyterian Section. The cemetery record for Roy's mother, Isabella, states that she was Presbyterian. Her death certificate states that she was buried by Rev McQuire, Presbyterian minister and she is buried in the Presbyterian section of the cemetery. Pam Rothfield of the Phillip Island Cemetery Trust and Mayor of Bass Coast at the time of writing, who is herself Jewish, is a fourth-generation Phillip Islander. She states that the Justice family are well known in the area and they are not Jewish. There was no minyan or notices in Jewish publications in Victoria. There is no evidence that Roy was Jewish. Rabbi’s decision: Ruled to not be Jewish. Therefore not to be on the list for future memorials. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission's (CWGC) website does not have any record in the grave registration that a Star of David should be used, so it is unknown why they did so. The CWGC has been contacted about this error.