05 January 2025

Vaclavs Kozlovskis travels from Perth to Bonegilla, translated by Monika Kozlovskis with Juris Sakurovs

SWANBOURNE, 29.11.47, Saturday I slept very well in my white sheets last night, no doubt helped by the long journey and then my walk. On waking I glanced through the open window - the blue sky and the willow tree growing right outside the window remind me strongly of Latvia, the home I haven’t seen for such a long time.

Will the day come that having wandered the world, I’ll once more see the blue skies and willows of home? Or perhaps my destiny is to remain here for all time and one day carry on my chest something similar to those grave monuments, that I saw in the town as we drove past.

I wouldn’t want that; I wouldn’t exchange any sort of monument for a simple wooden cross in a Latvian cemetery. But destiny will decide; after all I’m still young, and besides once you’re dead it doesn’t matter at all where you lie.

In the morning we had our last customs and immigration formalities. I reached the first table quickly, but that’s as far as I got because my cardboard box was apparently sent to another camp by mistake. This afternoon I went to fetch it, after which it was inspected, but I didn’t get the required stamp in my passport - the officials had already left by then.

I went to the office, where my passport was taken and I was asked to return on Monday at nine in the morning. Finally it was all over and I was free to do what I wanted. I couldn’t go for a walk because it was too close to mealtime, so I rested in bed, and when I woke I realised I’d almost missed dinner.

After eating quickly, I walked to the seaside. All around me I saw yellow sand. It’s amazing how varied the flora is, including the bush-like trees. I spotted something white on a hot sand dune, then leaped up and picked up a sixpence, the first Australian coin I can count my own.

I sat there for some time watching the ocean, then slowly climbed down again. Evening had come, and it was now a little too cool to be walking around in my shirt. I turned and slowly walked back.

As I dropped off to sleep my thoughts flew to Merry and Alt-Garge, then returned to Australia, the country which has welcomed us so warmly. Nowhere else are the immigrants given a free month to become familiar with the country and its people; only Australia shows such goodwill.

All the newspapers write hospitably about us, and there are banners everywhere with the words: “Australia Welcomes You”. Australians say they wish us all the best, and hope we will settle in quickly and feel happy in this free land.

Nowhere here have I seen the words “damned foreigners”, which is what Germans call non-Germans. After the merciless war years, and the Russian and German terrors, everything seems very strange.

I have found a normal life and it feels strange that I can eat without a ration card, or any recordkeeping. Who knows, perhaps I truly have reached my own “Happy Isle,” where I can rest after the storms of war, and perhaps my wanderlust will finally leave me in peace? (Note: In Latvian folklore there is a play based on a fairytale about Tom Thumb - the story of a small boy who went looking for fortune in strange lands, but came back, and the final scene is a song about “Happy Isle” - when he returns to his widowed mother, grandparents and own country, and is very happy.)

SWANBOURNE, 30.11.47, Sunday A glorious morning has dawned, the second in a row here in Australia. After breakfast I went for a walk and for an hour or so sat on the shore of the large ocean, watching the large waves crashing on the beach.

The weather was perfectly calm and sunny, the surface of the sea almost flat, but despite this the strange waves continued to crash against the shore, some even taller than a person, I don’t know where they came from.

I returned to the beach straight after lunch, and this time waded into the water. It was just wonderful bobbing up and down in the large waves. I spent over three hours in the sun, and as a result my face burned.

When I got into bed my back hurt and I slept badly, tossing from side to side, until one leg of the bed buckled and suddenly I flew out of bed head first. Luckily the night table stopped me falling onto the floor.

SWANBOURNE, 1.12.47, Monday I waited for the immigration official all morning, but it wasn’t until midday that my wait was crowned with success, and I was free again. I finished and posted my letters to Reinis, Merry and Tabra, then went into town with Mikelan. We wandered around for a long time, marvelling at the flimsy single-story buildings.

[Newspaper cutting “The Kanimbla, taken during the war.”]

FREMANTLE, 2.12.47, Tuesday At five thirty an Australian shook me by the shoulder, saying that it’s time to get up and get ready to leave. He, disturbing my sleep so early, is apparently accustomed to taking a long time to pack, but I was ready in ten minutes. How many belongings does a displaced person have, after all!

At nine the buses arrived and our trip through the town began, this time in the opposite direction. We got onto the ship without having to show our visas at all, simply whoever was there just climbed on.

The ship HMAS Kanimbla, intended for Australian army transport, is much smaller and older than the Heintzelman, and there is rust everywhere. It is also rather dirty, but on the other hand there is more room on the open decks, to take in the fresh air.

We sleep in a large room which holds almost everyone, but to our surprise this room only has a very small toilet and only a few washing tables, as well as only a few showers. Perhaps there’s a larger bathroom somewhere else, but no one has discovered it yet. It’s a bit hard to find our way around these corridors.

Here, the only doors we’re barred from are the officers’ living rooms; we can wander anywhere and look at everything. There are no MPs stationed as there were on the Heintzelman.

The announcements over the loudspeakers are indecipherable, but on the other hand the music is broadcast loudly, all day long. The air is filled with pleasant melodies, with many familiar tunes amongst them.

By the entrance stands a cupboard with cowboy pistols, a little further on stands a gun rack with guns. On the top deck are two jeeps also belonging to the ship. I looked over the ship, then started thinking about lunch.

I stood on two different queues, pleased they were moving forward so quickly, but both times ended up back at the dormitory, without even having seen the dining room.

The third time I ended up on the right queue and made it down below, but by then the plates had run out and I had to wait another hour or so, until someone brought some out and threw them down on the floor with a loud crash.

After a few more hours of waiting and cursing I finally got to the meal and the dishes. Plate, knife, fork, spoon and cup have to be kept, therefore at supper everything went much faster.

The ship’s sailors have their meals in the same dining room, from which I gather that the American sailors, who eat what they want, are fed much better than the English.

Straight after dinner I hurried out on deck - the ship had started moving, and on the shore was gathered a large group of pretty Australian girls. Many had even brought flowers, so I was sorry there wasn’t time to get to know one of them. Soon little Fremantle harbour with its girls waving farewells was behind us.

The final whistles sounded, and once more we were on the open sea. We were given two blankets, a pillow with pillowcase, and towels, all brand new. The two blankets are necessary, too, for the extensive ventilation system is sometimes so cold we've had to block it with life jackets and paper.

Shortly before bed I lightened my luggage again and threw out through the small window a blanket as well as the dance suit I’d had sewn in Germany out of blankets, which I won’t be wearing any more.

INDIAN OCEAN [GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT], 3.12.47, Wed During the night I almost had to hold onto the bars to prevent myself falling out of bed. The ocean waves tossed the old crate sideways somehow, and like it or not I had to sleep on my back or stomach, otherwise I lost my balance. On the left was the Australian shore, and in the afternoon that too disappeared.

After the movie we had a ship’s drill, these things happen here too, although less organised than on the Heintzelman. The wind rose, the waves grew, and water washed inside the open windows so the fellows hurried to screw them closed. Dinner was served by waiters who had now become jugglers, so as not to fall against a wall and spill the food.

After dinner I climbed up to the top deck, where the picture was different again. Several times, when the deck tipped down to a forty-five-degree angle, it seemed that I’d climbed onto a roof, then when we fell into a deep valley, the deck was more like a steep mountain. The women were sick, and we got to see them for once without powder or paint. The strong wind was cold so I went to the dormitory and watched the waves through the windows.

INDIAN OCEAN [GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT], 4.12.47, Thurs For the second day the Kanimbla tossed us on the ocean waves. Men staggered everywhere, as if they’d been drinking for two days.

It‘s difficult to walk in these conditions, sometimes you walk leaning against one wall of the corridor, then suddenly the ship tips the other way, you bend down and then stagger against the opposite wall. There’s no thought of sleeping on your side at night, or you tip over, so you have to content yourself with sleeping on your stomach. There’s a constant rattle of dishes on the shelves, and falling cups smash on the floor; you have to watch out they don’t drop on your head.

At two I went to see the movie again. There wasn’t much to see - one film had five corpses in it, the other had fighting and shooting, but at least it was a diversion.

INDIAN OCEAN, 5.12.47, Fri Damn it, I wouldn’t want to become an Australian citizen, for we’ve just discovered that with it comes an obligation of military service, and at the same time so-called plentiful provisions, such as we’re eating now.

Are Australian soldiers chickens then, that for dinner they are satisfied with half a fish, a few potatoes and a slice of bread? Today all the displaced persons on board are cursing, because it looks as though we’ve been tricked.

The sea remains just as it was earlier, nearly tipping the ship over, but I’ve become used to walking both sides of the corridor at once.

INDIAN OCEAN [GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT], 6.12.47, Sat It’s only 300 miles to Melbourne. I’m getting tired of this old iron box with its flat bottom and rope enclosures after meals.

Late this evening we had a farewell dance. I went along just to listen to the music, but my legs have become so accustomed to dancing in Germany that they wanted to dance.

But I disappeared to the dormitory as soon as I could. We will have to get up early tomorrow, so there is time to have breakfast and obtain a green card, with which I can be one of the first to leave the ship.

MELBOURNE, 7.12.47, Sun As agreed, Peteris woke me quite early. I leaped out of bed straight away and stood on the breakfast queue, so as not to miss the green cards. Although I was one of the first at breakfast, there was no sign of the green cards, I’d been fooled.

After breakfast I climbed up on deck and saw that Lanky was playing poker. The shores could be seen from both sides of the ship. They looked dark and uninviting, but it’s probably only because I was looking at them from the lightness of the sea.

Then it was lunchtime. After lunch a long queue formed, apparently waiting for green cards again. After being fooled this morning, I simply went to have a shower, and only stood on the queue when it was much shorter. This time like a miracle I received the square piece of green cardboard I waited so long for this morning.

I ate quickly, then hurried on deck, for the ship was just tying up in the harbour. Many local people were gathered on the shore, amongst them reporters, busily occupied with filming.

At 3:00 the immigration minister welcomed us and listened to songs sung by the three Baltic nationalities, the press photographers working all the while. The minister left, but we remained waiting for tomorrow, when our disembarkation and journey to the rest camp will begin.

Arthur Calwell, Minister for Immigration, welcomes the new arrivals on the Kanimbla
on 7 December 1947; front row includes Helgi Nirk (with white-framed sunglasses, centre)
and Valeria Mets (two to the right of Helgi, in striped dress)
Source:  Arthur Calwell papers, National Library of Australia    

BONEGILLA, 8.12.47, Mon Another early morning - breakfast started at six. We handed back our blankets, towels, pillows and after eating, our utensils as well. The train arrived and the press towards the exit began.

My group all had the green cards as well, but we calmly sat down and waited until the rush was over and we could make it to the exit comfortably without any pushing. We almost got onto the train as well, when suddenly the queue halted - the train was full.

Apparently some people had forged green cards and the real cardholders were left waiting. It wasn’t such a bad thing after all - when we climbed onto another train several hours later, quite in contrast to the first group we could make ourselves very comfortable.

On the many three-seaters sat only one person, by the window. After some ten minutes the train took us through the Australian countryside.

Here and there were harvested wheat fields, but for the most part it was only meadows with distorted, infrequent trees. I also saw large flocks of sheep, and over it all shone the hot Australian sun.

Everything is quite yellow, so it’s hard to separate the farm fields from the meadows. I quickly tired of watching the monotonous scenery with its infrequent, small houses; in my comfortable seat I became sleepy and dozed off. The train travelled very smoothly, I could hardly feel it moving at all, and on the soft seat sleeping was very good.

When I woke again, the men were climbing out of the train, which had stopped at a station for lunch. There were many small tables set up in the large station hall, at which we had to eat while standing.

Here and there someone ate an orange with its skin still on it, or a banana with a knife and fork, but overall the meal was swallowed peacefully, for everyone had their own place, and no advantage was gained by shoving.

After another hour or so the train stopped at the small Bonegilla station, where army lorries awaited to take us to the barracks. The camp is very spacious; it appears it housed a large battle unit once. Once again, the beds had white sheets on them, sleeping will be pleasant.

Dinner unfolded in typical English style - I walked away from three already empty kitchens, until finally I got into the fourth. This was due to the troublemakers again, who went to almost every kitchen in turn, so there was hardly anything left over for the last ones. All I ended up with was one slice of bread, but when I tipped the contents of the jam dish onto it, I’d had enough to eat.

04 January 2025

Vaclavs Kozlovskis' Journey from Gibraltar to Colombo on the "Heintzelman" translated by Monika Kozlovskis with Janis Sakurovs

MEDITERRANEAN SEA, 4.11.47, Tues. We’re now tossing on the blue waters of the Mediterranean. It’s become so warm that sitting on the deck brings perspiration to my brow. I’ve managed to save some warm weather clothes, and am now walking around in short pants, searching out shade to hide from the sun’s beaming face. 

Now and then the coast of Africa comes into view, particularly where it’s mountainous; in the evenings lights wink back at us from those same mountains.

A huge wind rose this afternoon, almost knocking us off our feet. The sea wasn’t so churned up, but the ship heaved anyway, and my head felt heavy. I’ll be smarter this time and not succumb to seasickness, [since] after all a large part of it is due purely to thought alone — apparently several people began throwing up even as the ship was untied from the German shore.

I washed my shirt and concentrated on learning English, for it never goes astray to refresh your knowledge. Shortly before bedtime we turned our clocks forward one hour, evidence that Europe is falling further behind us.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA, 6.11.47, Thurs. By lunch time we were already 2600 nautical miles from Bremerhaven and 872 from Port Said, which we will reach in several days.

We had another drill and, strapped in our lifejackets once more, assembled at the nominated lifeboats, which this time were lowered to the rails. The ship even stopped for a moment, then the drill was over and our journey continued.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA, 7.11.47, Fri. The sea is semi-calm, and it’s raining a little. The ship is rocking, but I feel it only with my eyes when looking at the far horizon and the edge of the ship together.

A concert was announced for this evening but one of the musicians didn’t show up and the others wouldn’t play without him. By tomorrow evening we should reach Port Said.

PORT SAID, 8.11.47, Sat. This afternoon we received our second cigarette ration, as well as shaving implements, a comb, tooth powder and soap.

After dinner the blue seawater changed colour and became muddy yellow; these were the waters of the Nile now washing against the ship’s sides.

Several hours later the lights of Port Said twinkled in the night, and at seven thirty the Heintzelman dropped anchor at the entrance to the Suez Canal. Soon small boats full of Egyptians offering various trifles surrounded the ship, but as we have no money no great trade came of it. These trifles are too expensive anyway to seriously think about buying any.


Above two images: Arab traders beside the Heintzelman at Port Said
Source:  Private collection

SUEZ, 9.11.47, Sun. The ship moved off at three in the morning, but at that time I was still fast asleep and the harbour slid by unnoticed. When I went on deck I saw that the Heintzelman had already sailed into Suez and dropped anchor again. The journey won’t resume until after breakfast.

I had a good look around but there wasn’t much to be seen. On the right side there was occasional greenery, but on the left only emptiness. Here and there were camels, palm trees and small huts with flat roofs. Along both sides of the Canal walked ragged natives, it’s a wonder what they live on. The landscape seems too poor to allow people to live decently. I couldn’t see the smallest crop field anywhere; nothing could grow in that sand.

"Only emptiness" on one side of the Suez Canal, viewed from the Heintzelman
Source:  Private collection

Occasionally I saw some German prisoners, who must feel bad living in imprisonment for so long, far from the shores of their homeland. But who knows, perhaps they are better off here than in war-devastated Germany, where people are forced to live in semi-starvation.

On both sides of the Canal ran a railroad, and in other places was a peculiar mix of colours — red water, several shades of bright yellow sand, light green grass, dark green trees, greenish water, white huts and black highway, all of it sparkling in the sunlight, mingling in colourful confusion. 

The fertile side of the Suez Canal, viewed from the Heintzelman
Source:  Private collection

In the evening we sailed out the other end of the Canal where the ship dropped anchor again. There were many ships, presumably waiting for a free path through the Canal. In the night the anchor was raised again, and our journey through the Red Sea began.

"The other end of the Canal" or is this looking back at the Mediterranean?
Source:  Private collection

RED SEA, 11.11.47, Tues. We’re still sailing through the heat of the Red Sea. It’s already too hot for us to stay in our rooms for long, even in our sports pants. Last night transformed into a little hell, so we played cards until two in the morning, for it was no good trying to sleep. 

During the heat of the previous night I had all sorts of nightmares, even the ventilator which constantly blew air right across me from only a metre above my head didn’t help. 

Today Port Said is already 677 nautical miles behind us, and Colombo 2713 in front.

RED SEA, 12.11.47, Wed. A powerful wind is blowing, making it difficult to keep on your feet on the top deck. We’re in the middle of the sea and the ship is rocking quite nicely. I stood by the gangway on the middle deck and watched the small disturbance in the water. Now and again a larger wave splashed right up to the top deck and threw salty, bitter drops onto my face, but they’re cool and pleasant in this heat.

Large valleys formed in the sea, and as I watched, mountains of water crashed onto the bow, flinging thousands of fine drops into the air. This water play is wonderful, I watched and enjoyed it for a long time.

ARABIAN SEA, 13.11.47, Thurs. We’re now in the Arabian Sea, surrounded by comparatively calm water. Straight after lunch we took part in another ship drill which was followed by a general clean up.

This cleaning went on for two hours, during which everyone primped and tidied whatever they could think of.  After this we received new pillowcases, and it seems that our room has indeed become a little brighter.  Tonight we turned our watches another hour forward.

ARABIAN SEA, 14.11.47, Fri. Last night I slept reasonably well, the vast sea surrounding us and the air coming from the ventilator was so cool that I even had to cover myself with a blanket for a while.

After breakfast I went up to the ship’s prow and gazed at the calm surface of the sea, from which, disturbed by the ship, schools of flying fish occasionally rose and flew some thirty to forty metres before returning to their cool abode. With their spread wings these fish reminded me of dragonflies, skimming the surface with their bellies, leaving a light-coloured furrow in their wake.

After dinner I was once more on deck, this time gazing up at the stars. The Big Bear can’t be seen anymore, and the North Star will soon disappear, for it’s already only some ten degrees above the horizon, as we’re too far south. On the other hand, some of the southern stars not seen in Europe are beginning to make their appearance.

Eventually one of the guards reminded me that it was already ten and time to leave the deck. My legs are perspiring a little at the knees — today I sat for only twenty minutes in the sun while I smoked a cigarette, and in that time I developed red, burning blotches. As I climbed into bed I noticed that my back is perspiring as well — there’s no joking with the sun around here.

INDIAN OCEAN, 15.11.47, Sat. The schools of flying fish have increased in size, and we’ve seen schools of dolphins as well.

Today we received our third cigarette and soap ration; I’ve collected a whole trove of soap now.

There was a ball on the open deck this evening, I listened to the music and watched as the dancers floundered in the darkness, on the moving dance floor. Our own band played, including “When in Capri, the Sun Sets Down by the Sea”.

As I enjoyed the tango music, I remembered the lasses with whom I danced this dance countless times in Germany, and I felt a little nostalgic for those happy times. Will my life path ever lead me back to these girls, to whom so many wonderful memories bind me?

INDIAN OCEAN, 16.11.47, Sun. All around us is only blue water, I can’t even see a passing ship. Beautiful indeed are these sun-shimmered, enticing open spaces with the blue sky above them - here are the vast distances that I’ve longed for all this time.

How long will it be before I cross these seas in the other direction and return to my homeland, travel weary and seeking peace?

03 January 2025

Vaclavs Kozlovskis' Journey from Germany to the Mediterranean on the "Heintzelman", translated by Monika Kozlovskis with Janis Sakurovs

Updated 4 January and 5 January 2025

NOTE:  Vaclavs* Kozlovskis was just 23 when he kept this diary of his journey to Australia and his first days in the new country.  Another version of the first days of the journey is on this blog also.

Vaclavs Kozlovskis' photo from his Bonegilla ID card
Source:  NAA: A2571, KOZLOVSKIS VACSLAVS

DIEPHOLZ, 29.10.47, Wed.   Tomorrow our journey begins. This afternoon I received 100 Turkish cigarettes and four blocks of chocolate, and exchanged almost everything for vodka, so as to befittingly farewell Germany. The others bartered all their available stores as well, and as our bundles lightened the bottle count grew. 

 In the evening, when there was nothing left to barter with the Yugoslavs and Poles, we seated ourselves at the table and began our party. Drinkers weren’t lacking and the party became quite large, and our loud voices were joined by the shouts from other rooms full of drinkers bound for Australia. 

I went to the hall, where our farewell dance was in progress. As if through a fog I saw many men, but few women, and in a corner somewhere someone was jerkily playing something similar to music. There was no one to dance with, so I went to bed - after all we have to get up early in the morning.

DIEPHOLZ, 30.10.47, Thurs.   We rose at six and hurriedly sorted out our belongings, all the sooner to leave this room which was so reminiscent of the battlefield… 

Diepholz: the journey begins on 30 October 1947
Source:  Kozlovskis collection

One man from our room, Briedis, wasn’t able to come with us, so we gave him a pile of blankets and other leftover goods, and he ended up with a substantial bundle. He accepted them gladly, for Europe is a poorhouse and such items are very useful in Germany. 

The Poles, who wanted the blankets and discarded items for themselves, placed guards everywhere and wouldn’t let anyone leave the camp, so he needed some assistance. Lanky and I went to his aid, but came up against the guards again. 

We showed these hobgoblins our pass, which was signed by the colonel, and one of them held it before his eyes for some time. Right in front of his eyes in fact, but apparently he couldn’t read and took us to the guardroom. We argued with our detainers all the way, then for another half-hour in the guardroom, but without success. 

We decided to leave but another Pole appeared in front of us and wouldn’t let Briedis out. I simply pushed the Pole out of the way and we went out onto the street, heading towards the office.

We were in luck and at the door we ran into the same English colonel who had written Briedis’ pass. I hurried over and immediately, in English, explained our quandary. Angrily he headed for the guardroom and began swearing at the Poles. 

They tried to make out that we hadn’t shown them our pass, but as I understand a little English I hastened to explain we had indeed done so, and twice at that; but that the reader had been more interested in Briedis’ bundle than in the pass. 

The Englishman was annoyed with the Poles, but the Poles were even more annoyed with us for complaining to the colonel. Unconcerned by the Poles’ complaints and long faces, we escorted Briedis to safety in the Yugoslav camp, then raced back, where the rest of the men had already climbed into the cattle cars. 

Having found our car and once more cursing the Poles we climbed in, and at nine the train moved off. No doubt this is the last time I will travel in a cattle car, for I’ll soon reach a land where they are not used to transport people.

Along the way cigarettes and sweets poured from the carriages, meant for the Fritzes standing by the railroad tracks, who gathered them up. 

The train halted at Bremen near a bridge, under which wound the highway. Here we stood for a whole hour, and some of the fellows, overcome by high spirits at our journey, started getting up to all sorts of mischief. 

One group found a trolley and began riding from one end of the track to the other. Another group put some obstacles on the track and just laughed when the trolley bounced off it. The trolley was lifted back in place, and it started all over again. 

Still others gathered on the bridge and threw down confectionery, cigarettes and money, to a large crowd of scuffling children. Even the old women watched …watched … and then suddenly threw themselves into the fray after the cigarettes. One fellow tied some chocolate onto the end of a string and in this way gave some chocolate to whichever child he chose. 

Alongside the halted train walked a bespectacled Fritz railway worker. Finally he got to the handful of cigarette butts someone had thrown out and he started gathering them up. Noticing this the fellows threw cigarettes at him, some singly and even whole packets, and he hurried to put them into the large pockets of his coat. Then the train sounded a long whistle and the journey continued.

Finally, at four in the afternoon, the train halted in front of the American army transport ship USAT General Stuart Heintzelman.  This is a twelve-thousand-ton motor ship, built as recently as 1944, and it seems that travelling on her will be quite pleasant. 

We were immediately transferred from the cattle cars onto the handsome ship. With my belongings in my left hand and my visas in the right, I climbed past the inspectors and military police to my cabin, receiving my ration card on the way.

As soon as everyone was aboard, the ship threw off our last tie with Germany, the anchor was raised, and with my watch showing 4.20 pm the journey began. 

Shortly after I began my adieus to Germany and sent my last greetings to her disappearing shores, we headed towards the blue, distant horizon which beckons enticingly from the ship's prow. 

Ah, distant places - at last I am heading towards you, and fulfilling the longing you’ve tantalised me with - will I be happy when I reach the other shore? 

Perhaps there will be no peace for me there either, even from there you will call me and entice me, never allowing me to settle before longing to escape again. 

Do you really want me to follow you and wander without peace, or a place to call home, until my final breath?

I glanced back and once the shores of Germany had become a small, grey stripe on the edge of the horizon, I went to my cabin. This is meant for sixteen men, and has white walls with even whiter beds. A large ventilator turns its iron wings, hopefully to provide some coolness once we are in the hot regions. 

Overall this ship is a modern crate, as demonstrated by the many facilities such as bathrooms with mirrors, water closet and shower cubicle with hot and cold water. My cabin is right near the prow of the ship, so I have the greatest prospects of a lot of rocking and seasickness. 

I don’t feel anything yet, but soon enough we will be in Biscay… I showered, and afterwards climbed into my inviting bed and quickly fell asleep.

HEINTZELMAN, 31.10.47, Fri.  I woke around one in the morning and felt the ship rocking heavily, but soon enough fell asleep again. I woke again when the others got up. 

The ship was still rocking, only not as badly as it was in the night and I haven’t seen anyone be sick yet. 

I went in to breakfast and saw food such as I haven’t eaten for a long time. I’ll have to say goodbye to rye bread for a long time, though, after all English countries don’t know about it. 

After breakfast I fulfilled my room duties and, working with broom and scraps of rags, time passed unnoticed and soon it was lunchtime. I went below to the dining room and had a pleasant meal. 

Enjoying such food, and using the showers and other facilities, the past seems only a quickly disappearing dream, the only reality being the gentle shuddering and rocking of the ship. 

After lunch I rested and read books until a ship drill was announced, when I put a lifejacket on and went to the nominated place on the open deck. I learned about such drills at school, and now I’m taking part in them. The drill was soon over and I went to dinner. 

Afterwards I went out on deck to smoke a cigarette and noted that the weather is starting to deteriorate - the wind has risen and fine raindrops are flying through the air. We have already passed by the English coast, and soon we will be in Biscay with its autumn storms.

BAY OF BISCAY, 1.11.47, Sat.  I woke when we were in Biscay and realised that what I’d heard about it was no exaggeration. All night the ship’s prow leaped seven metres high, up and down, into the waves, as if forming large circles in the air, becoming bigger and bigger. 

I went to breakfast and ate too many sweet things, which turned out to be an unpleasant mistake. This sweetness didn’t want to stay inside, and shortly after lunch I went to the toilet and threw up the delicious breakfast. Naturally I didn’t have lunch, in case I was sick in the dining room and ruined everyone’s appetites. 

Shortly before dinner I sought the toilet again, but this time only green liquid came out, and the vomiting itself made me feel bad. To stop my queasiness I ate dinner, but within an hour that went overboard as well. I was only sick once, but even that was enough to feed the fish, and then I went to bed.

This photograph of Heintzelman passengers surely was taken in the Bay of Biscay
Source:  Private collection

ATLANTIC OCEAN, 2.11.47, Sun.  For a second day I’ve suffered this awful queasiness. When it was time to go outside, I leapt out of bed and, to prevent myself being sick again, started running around the ship, along the decks. 

I didn’t eat breakfast or lunch, but now and then just had a few mouthfuls of cool, refreshing water. Occasionally I stood at the rails and watched the large waves fighting amongst themselves, then fought my queasiness again with my useful remedy - running around. 

It really works - all day, right until I went to bed, I wasn’t sick and the biscuits I ate for dinner stayed down. Now and then I did come close, but held it at bay by watching the mountainous shoreline of Spain, and also by running around the decks.

GIBRALTAR, 3.11.47, Mon.  The sea is half-peaceful now, and Biscay far behind. It’s still difficult standing in the breakfast queue, especially when the ship takes a higher leap into the air, but after all I have to eat something, so I forced myself to go down to the dining room. 

After this torture I went for a walk on deck, and my queasiness gradually diminished; it seems it’s persisted only because of my empty stomach. I climbed onto the bridgehead and watched the water churning, but by this time my queasiness and headache were completely gone; apparently they’ve swum over to Biscay to seek a new victim. 

Now I felt the desire to smoke and my mood improved. Yesterday I thought I was one of the people who can’t cope with the ocean and that I would never make a seaman, but that was yesterday, and today I’ve changed my mind. After all I won’t wish to spend my entire life in far-off Australia ... 

Today the food tasted delicious, as I discovered when I ate the lunch sausages. Also enjoyable are the Chesterfield A cigarettes I received today; I’ve got a whole carton of them.

After dinner I went onto the middle deck and saw that we’ve sailed quite close to Gibraltar. On the left I saw good old Europe for the last time, and on the right stretched the coast of Africa. Soon the last corner of Europe disappeared from my sight, it seems for a long time to come.

Gibraltar and Africa
The coast of Africa viewed from Gibraltar with some sea traffic for scale

FOOTNOTE

* Vaclavs spelled his name in the Czech manner, without a middle S, but the officials got it wrong in 1947.  They wrote his name as Vacslavs instead, so you will find both spellings in this blog.  The bloggers will use the correct spelling but are stuck with the wrong one in the titles of official documents.

31 December 2024

Jonas Strankauskas (1916 – 1987), Generous Donor and Lover of the Lithuanian Press by Rasa Ščevinskienė

First Transport passenger Jonas Strankauskas was born in Virbaliūnai village, Kaunas district, Lithuania, on 1 September 1916. His parents were the peasants Joakimas Strankauskas and Pranciska, whose maiden name was Ciuciulkaite. Jonas was the second child in the family.

Jonas Strankauskas birth record (in Russian) from the Raudondvaris church,
near Kaunas, Lithuania

There was an older son, Antanas, and two younger daughters, Teofile and Aleksandra. Jonas also had an older half-sister, Ona, from his father's previous marriage. His Bonegilla card says that he also had a half-brother in Germany, Kasys Kalasinas. In reality, this was his first cousin, Kazys Kasiūnas.

Jonas Strankauskas' photo on his Bonegilla card

In pre-War Lithuania, 21-year-old boys were called to the army, so Jonas spent the years 1937-1939 on military service.

From his Arolsen Archives DP registration card, we know that Jonas arrived in Germany before 11 July 1945. The card shows his profession as a carpenter.

He was living in Northern Casern Displaced Persons (DP) Camp in Würzburg. Many Lithuanian DPs lived at this camp between 1945 and 1949.

Jonas left Bremerhaven for Australia with 842 other Baltic refugees on the USAT General Stuart Heintzelman on 30 October 1947 and arrived in Australia on 28 November 1947. That previous work as a carpenter meant that he was recruited into Australia as a much-needed builder’s labourer, for building the new houses Australia needed to make up for the absence of building during World War II.

Like many other men who came on the First Transport, Jonas’ first job in Australia was fruit picking. In his case, he left Bonegilla camp to work for Dundas Simson Pty Ltd in Ardmona. on 28 January 1948 and returned to Bonegilla on 10 April 1948.

From 14 April to 17 May, Jonas worked in the Bonegilla migrant camp as a casual labourer. He left Bonegilla on 2 June 1948 having been allocated to the Commonwealth Department of Works and Housing at Philip Ponds camp, Woomera, South Australia. He worked here as joiner, so as a specialist carpenter, someone who made furniture rather than building houses. His salary was £7/10/6 per week.

Huts 12 and 13 at Philip Ponds camp, 1948:
the FX Holden between the huts means that this photo was taken after 29 November

On 18 August 1948 at his own request, Jonas left Woomera and moved to the State’s capital city, Adelaide. We have no record of the work he then did in Adelaide but probably, like most of the other First Transport arrivals, he was released from his obligation to work in Australia on 30 September 1949.

From an advertisement in the new Lithuanian-Australia newspaper, Mūsų Pastogė, we can see that in mid-1949, Jonas was living at 93 Childers Street, North Adelaide. When he received Australian citizenship on 24 April 1956, his address was 14 Divett Place in Adelaide.

From newspaper and magazines we can describe Jonas’ life in Australia. He liked to read Lithuanian newspapers and magazines, he subscribed to them and constantly donated money to them. He read and donated to the following Lithuanian publications until this death: Mūsų Pastogė, Dirva, Lietuviu Dienos and Tėviškės Žiburiai.

When Mūsų Pastogė was starting, Jonas donated a valuable £1/8/- to help it on its way. The Reserve Bank of Australia estimates that this sum was worth nearly $100 in today’s money. It certainly was generous for someone who had been out of DP camps for only two years and who had been on a low income for all of that time.

Jonas’ generosity included ordering Lithuanian publications for other people. In September 1955, the Lithuanian magazine Lietuviu Dienos advised that J Strankauskas from Adelaide, Australia, ordered had ordered this magazine for two ladies, L Juodelyte and N Juryte.

He also loved books. In 1952, the Lithuanian newspaper Tremtis advertised that it was preparing for publication a volume of original writings by Vincas Kudirka. Jonas preordered this book. A couple of years later, Tremtis advertised that it would soon publish the second part of the Gatvės berniukų nuotykiai (Adventures of Street Boys) trilogy by writer R. Spalis, to be called Ant ribos (On the Edge), and a selection of articles by Tremtis writers, Gintarai (Amber). Jonas subscribed to these books as well.

In 1956 the Lithuanian newspaper Dirva advised that its longtime reader, Jonas Strankauskas, who recently had celebrated his 40th birthday, was a patron of the Adelaide men's choir "Lithuania" and had been supporting the Vasario 16 (February 16, Lithuania’s Independence Day) Gymnasium for the fifth year, making him the largest donor of all the Australian supporters.

Jonas Strankauskas in 1959
Source:  Private Collection

Jonas became the Treasurer of the Adelaide Lithuanian Club (Mūsų Pastogė, 1958) and the Adelaide Lithuanian sports club, Vytis (Mūsų Pastogė, 1959, 1960). He remained the Vytis Treasurer until 1965.

Jonas is eighth from the left among those standing at the back in this photo
of Adelaide sports people and friends
Source:  Mūsų Pastogė

In 1964, Jonas gave clocks and 15 chess sets to its chess group Mūsų Pastogė, 1964). From this and other evidence, it looks like Jonas’ sport may have been chess.

The Mūsų Pastogė caption says, in Lithuanian
'‘Chess matters are discussed during the farewell for Mr and Mrs Bačiūnas’:
Jonas Strankauskas is in the background on the right
Source:  Mūsų Pastogė

Jonas became seriously ill in the middle of 1967 and Mūsų Pastogė told its readers that he was in hospital but feeling better. The newspaper sent its wishes for him to get well soon. He was described as the long-time treasurer of Vytis and a generous supporter of the club.

In 1970 Jonas resumed his activities with Vytis. Mūsų Pastogė noted that Vytis was celebrating its 20 anniversary. Large contributions had been made and continued to be made by Jonas Strankauskas, its Treasurer.

Jonas Strankauskas died in Adelaide on 14 June 1987. His death certificate records the cause of death as ‘intracerebral and subarachoid haemorrhage, hyperglyaemia and pneumonia’. The hyperglyaemia indicates that Jonas had diabetes – not a surprise in someone who looks overweight in all of his photos. Maybe that was the cause of his ill health in mid-1967.

He had not married. His last known address had been 58 George Street in Norwood, Adelaide. He was farewelled on 22 June at the Centennial Park Crematorium.

The last press notice about Jonas Strankauskas was on 8 September 1987, three months after his death. Tėviškės žiburiai announced that Jonas had paid $25.00 to renew his subscription.

Lithuanian language publications in exile were in Jonas’ good hands until his death and after.

Sources

Arolsen Archives, ‘AEF DP Registration Record, DocID: 69321313 (Jonas STRANKAUSKAS)’ https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/69321313 accessed 28 December 2024.

Australian Cemeteries Index, ‘Name/Cemetery Search’ https://austcemindex.com/?family_name=strankauskas accessed 24 December 2024.

Bonegilla Migrant Experience, ‘Bonegilla Identity Card Lookup: Jonas Strankauskas, https://idcards.bonegilla.org.au/record/203694645 accessed 26 December 2024.

Centennial Park, ‘Memorial Search – Cemetery Records’ https://www.centennialpark.org/memorial-search/?surname=Strankauskas&firstname= accessed 24 December 2024.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (1956) 04 24 ‘Certificates of naturalization’, Canberra, ACT, 24 April, page 2866 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/232988815/25126346 accessed 26 December 2024.

Dirva [The Field] (1956) ‘Kas ir Kir’ ['Who and Where'] Cleveland, Ohio, 18 October, p 2 https://spauda.org/dirva/archive/n1956/1956-10-18-DIRVA.pdf accessed 24 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1955) ‘Ka Veikia Skaitytojai’ [‘What Readers Do’, in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 September, p 17 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1955/1955-09-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1958) Ka Veikia Skaitytojai’ [‘What Readers Do’, in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 April, p 17 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1958/1958-04-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1966) ‘LD Žurnalui Aukojo’ [‘Donated to Lietuviu Dienos Magazine’, in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 November, p 20 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1966/1966-11-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1967) ‘LD žurnalą parėmė’ [‘Lietuviu Dienos magazine supporters’ , in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 December, p 18 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1967/1967-12-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Lietuviu Dienos [Lithuanian Days] (1970) ‘Lietuvių Dienoms Paremiti, Įsigydami bilietėlių, aukojo’ [ ‘To support Lietuviu Dienos, by purchasing tickets, they donated’, in Lithuanian] Los Angeles, California,15 November, p 15 https://spauda.org/lietuviu_dienos/archive/1970/1970-11-15-LIETUVIU-DIENOS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024. 

Lithuanian State Historical Archives, Veliuonos dekanato bažnyčių gimimo metrikų aktų knyga, 1916-01-01 – 1916.12.31 [Book of birth records of churches in the Veliuona deanery, 1.1.1916 – 31.12.1916] https://eais.archyvai.lt/repo-ext-api/share/?manifest=https://eais.archyvai.lt/repo-ext-api/view/267329282/304796043/lt/iiif/manifest&lang=lt&page=174 accessed 24 December 2024 [Jonas Strankauskas’ birth record in Raudondvaris church, page 174, record number. 107].

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1949a) ‘Mūsų Pastogės Rėmėjai’ (Mūsų Pastogė Sponsors, in Lithuanian) Sydney, NSW 21 December p 8 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1949/1949-12-21-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1958) ’Nauja Adelaidės Apylinkės Valdyba’ [‘New Adelaide District Council’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 17 March, p 6 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1958/1958-03-17-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1959) ‘Adelaidėje, Visuotinis Susirinkimas’ [‘Adelaide, General Assembly’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 1 May, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1959/1959-05-01-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1960) ‘Adelaidėje, Visuotinas – Metinis Susirinkimas’ [‘Adelaide, Annual General Meeting’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 6 May, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1960/1960-05-06-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1961) ‘Sportas’ [Sports, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 17 February, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1961/1961-02-17-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 24 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven(1962a) ‘Adelaidiniai Pranešimai’ [‘Adelaide Announcements’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 20 June, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1962/1962-06-20-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1962b) ‘Sporto Šventės Aktoriai’ [‘Sports Celebration Performers’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 20 December, p 9, https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1962/1962-12-20-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 26 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1963a) ‘Pranešimai’ [‘Notifications’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 13 March, p 6 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1963/1963-03-13-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1963b) ‘Sportas, Perversmus Adelaidėje’ [‘Sports, Revolution in Adelaide’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 12 June, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1963/1963-06-12-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1963c) [Photograph caption] ‘Adelaidės sportininkai ir sporto bičiuliai po metinio susirinkimo ...’ [‘Adelaide athletes and friends of sport after the annual meeting …’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 31 July, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1963/1963-07-31-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1963d) ‘Vykstam Melbournan!’ [We are going to Melbourne!, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 12 April, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1963/1963-12-04-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1964) [Photograph caption] ‘Aptariami Šachmatų reikalai p.p. Bačiūnų iSleistuvių metu’ [‘Chess matters are discussed during the farewell for Mr and Mrs Bačiūnas’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 26 February, p 7 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1964/1964-02-26-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1964) 04 01 ‘Is Bendruomenes Susirinkimo’ [‘Community Meeting’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 1 April, p 4, https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1964/1964-04-01-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1965) 07 05 ‘Adelaidės liet. Sporto Klubui 15 m.’ [Adelaide Lithuanian Sports Club is 15 years old’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 5 July, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1965/1965-07-05-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1967) 07 31 ‘Sporto Naujienos’ [‘Sports News’, in Latvian] Sydney, NSW, 31 July, p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1967/1967-07-31-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1970) Adelaidės Vyties sukaktis’ [‘Adelaide Vytis club anniversary’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 20 April p 5 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1970/1970-04-20-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Mūsų Pastogė [Our Haven] (1976) ‘Adelaidės Kronika’ [‘Adelaide Chronicle’, in Lithuanian] Sydney, NSW, 29 November p 6 https://spauda2.org/musu_pastoge/archive/1976/1976-11-29-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

National Archives of Australia: Attorney-Generals’s Department; D1918, Investigation case files, single number series with 'S' prefix, 1938-1960; S1493/5/2, Nominal roll of displaced persons at Woomera [Long Range Weapons Establishment, Woomera, SA] 1948-1949 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=856767, accessed 26 December 2024, page 31.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Labour and National Service, Central Office; MT29/1, Employment Service Schedules, 1947-1950; 21, Schedule of displaced persons who left the Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla Victoria for employment in the State of South Australia, 1948-1950 [Schedule no SA1 to SA31] https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=23150376 accessed 26 December 2024, pages 33-34

Reserve Bank of Australia, ‘Pre-Decimal Inflator Calculator’, https://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualPreDecimal.html accessed 26 December 2024.

Teviskes Aidai [Echoes of Homeland](1948) ‘Nauja Apyl. Valdyba Adelaidėje’ [‘New District Council in Adelaide’, in Lithuanian] Melbourne, Victoria, 2 April p 6 https://www.epaveldas.lt/preview?id=C1B0002202866-1958-Bal.2 accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Aidai [Echoes of Homeland] (1974) ‘Musu Remējai’ [‘Our Sponsors’, in Lithuanian] Melbourne, Victoria, 23 April, p 7 https:Teviskes Aida//www.epaveldas.lt/preview?id=C1B0002202866-1974-Bal.23 accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1974) ‘”T. Žiburiams” aukojo’ [‘Donated to T. Žiburiai’, in Lithuanian] Toronto, Ontario, 20 June, p 4 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1974/1974-06-20-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1976) ‘“Tėviškės Žiburiams” aukojo’ [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai’, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 11 November, p 7 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1976/1976-11-11-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1980) ‘Aukotojai’ [‘Donors’, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 15 May, p 10 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1980/1980-05-15-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1983) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 11 September, p 9 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1983/1983-09-01-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1983) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 22 December, p 11 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1983/1983-12-22-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1985) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 19 March, p 9 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1985/1985-03-19-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1986) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 7 January, p 8 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1986/1986-01-07-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Teviskes Ziburiai [The Lights of Homeland] (1987) ‘Aukojo “Tėviškės Žiburiams” [‘Donated to Tėviškės Žiburiai, in Lithuanian] Mississauga, Ontario, 8 September, p 9 https://spauda.org/teviskes_ziburiai/archive/1987/1987-09-08-TEVISKES-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 28 December 2024.

Tremtis [Exile] (1952) ‘Garbės prenumeratoriai’ [‘Honorary subscribers’, in Lithuanian] Memmingen, Germany, 22 November, p 4 https://spauda2.org/dp/dpspaudinys_tremtis/archive/1952-11-22-TREMTIS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

Tremtis [Exile] (1954) ‘Garbės prenumeratoriai’ [‘Honorary subscribers’, in Lithuanian] Memmingen, Germany, 1 March, p 16 https://spauda2.org/dp/dpspaudinys_tremtis/archive/1954-03-01-TREMTIS.pdf accessed 27 December 2024.

24 December 2024

"General Stuart Heintzelman" Passengers Reach Australia: the Official Report with Comments by Ann Tündern-Smith

In my very first blog entry more than 4 years ago now,  I advised that Australia's first refugees from World War II in Europe had reached Australia on 28 November 1947.  Even some of the passengers had forgotten the date and used to contacted me for confirmation.

The report below on the arrival at Fremantle, the passengers' stay at two former Army camps in Perth and their departure from Fremantle on 2 December, after a stay of less than 4 full days (4 nights and 3 days as the tourism industry now has to tell us) comes for a file held by the Western Australian office of the National Archives of Australia (NAA).

The file, series PP482/1 item 82, is called General Heintzelman – Nominal Roll – Arrived Fremantle 28 Nov 1947.  I bought a photocopy of its contents around 20 years ago, before digitising NAA files became a possibility.  Some good person has paid now to have it digitised, so you too can read through the whole file here.

Meanwhile, below is one of the highlights, on pages 88-89 of the digitised version.

s.s."General Stuart Heintzelman".

Fremantle - 28.11.47.

The Commonwealth Migration Officer,*

The Commonwealth Migration Officer is informed that the U.S. Transport "General Stuart Heintzelman" arrived at Fremantle on 23.11.'47 [sic] from Bremerhaven and had on board 843 persons travelling to Australia under the agreement signed between the Commonwealth Government and C.I.R.0.** 

2. On arrival the ship was boarded by the Quarantine Medical Officer and Officers of this Department, and after the Quarantine inspection it was found that two passengers - Mr. Stephanus Markelis and Miss Salma Pochla were considered by the Medical Officer to be suffering from Mental Instability, and one passenger, Mr. Karl Tarik, was suffering from Interstital Keratitis of the left eye. The Medical Officers considered that in these cases the people were unlikely to recover and they were prohibited from landing in Australia. They subsequently returned to Europe in the ship, leaving Australia on 30.11.'47. 

3. Another passenger ... was suffering from V.D. but the Medical Officer stated that in this case the man would respond to treatment in one week. He was subsequently landed into the Fremantle Public Hospital for treatment, detained there until 2.12.'47, and taken on board H.M.S."Kanimbla" on 2.12.'47 and placed in the ship's hospital for further treatment pending his arrival in Victoria. 

4. Immediately the ship was boarded, I was informed that a cable had been received by the Master from Germany relating to Miss Irina Traubers. The message read - “Irina TRAUBERS nominal roll No.829 ineligible on grounds of Security. Must not be allowed to land. Should be brought back on return journey. De Witt Chief of Transportation for Higham." This woman was prohibited from landing and returned to Germany on the ship, leaving Fremantle for Overseas on 30.11.1947. 

5. After the medical inspection, all male passengers who were landing were issued with a red or green ticket to wear in the lapel of their coats to indicate to which camp they had been allocated. The women who were all to be lodged at Grayland were not issued with these tickets. 

6. We also issued them with a typewritten slip of paper on which the men were asked to indicate the size of their shoes and the women, several body measurements. This was done to enable the Department of Supply & Shipping to inform Melbourne of the necessary sizes of clothing to be prepared and issued on the arrival of the Displaced Persons at Bonegilla Camp. A Representative of a clothing factory estimated the size of the men's clothing by watching them debark. 

7. On the completion of the debarkation, officers of the Supply & Shipping Department expressed their appreciation of our co-operation in this matter, and appeared very pleased 

8. The ship, having been granted pratique***, berthed at 0930 hrs. but owing to some trouble being experienced with the gangway (it fell down once and had to be moved once to allow a wharf crane to pass) debarkation did not commence until 1030 hrs. 

9. On debarkation, passengers were directed by our officers through wharf shed doors into the shed where a Customs examination of their hand baggage was carried out, and when completed they embussed for the Camps. This operation was entirely successful and completed at 1230 hrs, the last bus load arriving at the camp in time for lunch at 1300 hrs. 
The Heintzelman passengers finally get to 'debark' 
into a former fruit export shed which still stands 
next to Western Australia's Maritime Museum in Fremantle
Source:  Collections of Irina Vasins Kakis and Galina Vasins Karciauskas

10. On arrival at the camps the people were conducted to their living quarters. 398 persons were accommodated at Graylands Camp and 441 persons at Swanbourne Camp. 

11. During the night the heavy baggage was sorted in the shed by representatives of Gills' Transport Coy, and transported to the respective camps where it was ready for Customs examination at 0900 hrs on 29.11.'47. 

12, The Customs examination was carried out on the day of 29.11.'47 and officers of this Department completed Forms A.42 for all passenger on the same day. Certificates of Identity were left with the passengers to enable identification to be easily established on arrival at Bonegilla and so expedite the work of Alien Registration Officers at that Camp. 

13. On Sunday night, 30.11.'47, all those migrants who wished attended a free picture show at Claremont, and a dance organised by 6 K.Y. Broadcasters, was given on Monday night. 

14, On Monday morning all heavy baggage was loaded and transported to the wharf for loading into "Kanimbla", 

15. The onward movement for embarking in "Kanimbla" commenced at 0900 hrs. on 2.12.'47 and all passengers were checked on board the ship by 1130 hrs, when passenger lists and Forms A42 completed, were handed to Mr. Weale from the Melbourne office who was to travel East in the ship. S.S."Kanimbla" sailed from Fremantle at 1800 hrs. on 2.12.'47 with 839 migrant passengers on board. 

16. The migrants seemed happy and pleased at the reception they had been accorded in the camps, and expressed their appreciation of the efforts that had been made on their behalf***.  
FOOTNOTES

* 'The Commonwealth Migration Officer', to whom this report is addressed, would have been the most senior official in the Perth Office of the Department of Immigration.

** C.I.R.O. stands for 'Commission for the International Refugee Organization', usually called the PCIRO or Preparatory Commission for the International Refugee Organization at this time.  See https://www.un-ilibrary.org/content/books/9789210602198s004-c010 for a brief explanation.

*** Pratique?  Oxford Languages, as it calls itself now, says that the word is 'historical' (indeed!) and means 'permission granted to a ship to have dealings with a port, given after quarantine or on showing a clean bill of health.'

**** Our author does not detail the 'reception they had been accorded in the camps' nor 'efforts made on their behalf'.  Elmar Saarepere remembered, however, that locals had arranged that their first meal, a lunch, be served using starched linen and cutlery from the best hotel in Perth. There was an orange waiting at every place. All were seated at the same time, and waited upon by hotel staff with a white napkin over one arm.
     Someone who witnessed the Heintzelman arriving and who later became a senior Immigration official, Ian Mckenzie, told me that the Western Australia (WA) Government thought that all of the passengers would be staying to work in WA.  This might explain the special arrangements for the first meal.
    I have yet to find any correspondence between the WA Premier of the time, Ross McLarty, and the Prime Minister, Ben Chifley, but we can be sure that it would be interesting reading.