Juozas Šuopys (1913–1997): Farm Boy to Family Support by Daina Pocius

Juozas Šuopys was born on a large farm in the village of Skaisgiriai, Sintautai district, Šakiai county in Lithuania on 9 February 1913. Together with other 437 Lithuanians, Juozas arrived in Australia on the USAT General Stuart Heinzelman, the First Transport, on 28 November 1947.

Juozas Šuopys' identity photo on his Bonegilla card

Source:  NAA, A2571, Suopys Juozas

From the Bonegilla Migrant camp, Juozas’ two-year contract was with the Flax Production Committee, Melbourne, possibly going to the Commonwealth Flax Mill at Lake Bolac with other new arrivals from the ship. He later worked at a Kellogg’s factory until retirement. This probably was the factory which the company opened in Botany, a suburb of Sydney, in 1928.

Juozas did not waste his savings unnecessarily, but even though he lived alone, he had bought a house in Botany. It was probably from this house, at 24 Page Street, that he sought and obtained naturalisation as an Australian citizen on 31 August 1966. Through this process, he announced a legal change of name, to Joseph Sopis. To Lithuanians, he undoubted remained Juozas Suopys.

Later he moved to Punchbowl, near the Lithuanian House in Bankstown, where he was a frequent guest. Juozas belonged to the Returned Services League on account of having been caught up in World War II, while supporting Lithuanian sports and other Lithuanian activities with donations.

Around 1980, he met Ingeborg, a German widow, and spent the rest of his life with her.

He never forgot his sisters and extended relatives. He travelled to Lithuania several times and was able to help his relatives, providing farm equipment and cars.

He did not forget his home parish in Sintautai, where the church was destroyed during the war. It was restored to its former state thanks to the efforts of the pastor, the prelate Maskeliūnas. Juozas was one of the biggest supporters of the reconstruction of this church.

After returning from a visit to Lithuania, Juozas felt pain in his leg. He was taken to Bankstown Hospital, where he died of complications a week later, on 15 October 1997 at the respectable age of 84.

On October 20, after mass, which was held by Fr. John Girdauskas SM, Juozas’ remains were accompanied by Inga's family and his Lithuanian friends to the Lithuanian section of the Rookwood cemetery. Antanas Kramilius gave a farewell speech on behalf of the community. At the grave, the Lithuanian National anthem was sung.

References

Arolsen Archives (1945) ‘AEF DP Registration Record’, 5 October, https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/69197342 accessed 25 January 2025.

Arolsen Archives (1946) ‘UNRRA HQ’s Team 77, DP Camp Mattenberg’ 17 June https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/81997447 accessed 25 January 2025.

Arolsen Archives (1946) ‘Transportlist (sic) UNRRA HQ Team 77, DP Camp Mattenberg’ 16 August https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/81997477 accessed 25 January 2025.

Arolsen Archives (1946) [From Folder 170: Kassel-Oberzwehren] 9 October https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/81997518 accessed 25 January 2025.

AVK (1997) ‘Mūsų mirusieji: Juozas Šuopys, 1913.03.09 – 1997.10.15’ (‘Our dead: Juozas Suopys, 9.3.1913 – 15.10.1997, in Lithuanian) Mūsų Pastogė Sydney, 3 November p 7.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (1967) ‘Certificates of Naturalisation’ Canberra, 8 June, p 2839 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article241040447 accessed 25 January 2025.

'Kelloggs, in Australia since 1924', https://www.kelloggs.com.au/en_AU/history.html accessed 25 January 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla [Victoria]; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla], 1947–1956; SUOPYS, Juozas : Year of Birth - 1913: Nationality – LITHUANIAN : Travelled per – GEN. HEINTZELMAN: Number – 1038, 1947 – 1948; https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203899865 accessed 25 January 2025.

Alfonsas Ragauskas (1914–1988): First Transporter Who Overcame Obstacles by Daina Pocius

Updated 9 February 2025

Alfonsas, known as Alf, was born on 19 January 1914 in Šiauliai, in the Lithuanian district of Joniskis, where he spent his youth. Life was not easy for him, so he emigrated to Germany in 1935.

Alfonasas Ragauskas' identity photo on his migration application form, 1947

Source:  Sestokas, Welcome to Little Europe

There he lived in even more difficult conditions, working hard until 1947, when he immigrated to Australia on the First Transport, the USAT General Stuart Heintzelman.

Alfonasas Ragauskas' identity photo on his Bonegilla card, 1947

Source:  NAA, A2571, RAGAUSKAS, Alfonsas

His first job was in the State Electricity Commission of Victoria’s Yallourn open-cut brown coal mine. Later he became an electrician in the power plant, then a pump operator until retirement.

In Josef Šestokas’ book, Welcome to Little Europe: Displaced Persons and the North Camp , Josef’s father, Juozas, writes about the Yallourn camp where both he and Alf lived initially, “All were single men. They were accommodated in tents under pine trees behind the school. Local people were friendly and welcoming.”

Alf wrote in Juozas’ autograph book, presumably in Lithuanian, in 1955, “Really we are happier here, but you could only appreciate that if, having lost your country and your people, you were so hospitably welcomed as victims of war.”

While working at Yallourn, Alf met his wife, Agota and they married in 1962. They later moved to Kew, Melbourne. Josef Šestokas reports that they were thought not to have had children.

Alf led a quiet life, keeping dairy goats and chickens in his large backyard. He was remembered in his obituary as a fun, friendly and helpful. Although his life he was full of difficulties and surprises, he was able to overcome all these obstacles.

Alf was one of those so keen to obtain Australian citizenship that he first applied on 6 September 1949, when he was still under contract to work in Australia.  He was advised to wait until late November 1952, having been in Australia for 5 years, before applying again.  This he did, although the exact date was 1 December.  His formal grant of citizenship took place on 23 July 1953.

Alf died at Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne on 28 April 1988, aged 64, and is buried in Kew Cemetery, now known as Boroondara General Cemetery. Agota was buried with him when she died 4 years later.

Headstone on the grave of Alfonsas and Agota Ragauskas, 
Boroondara General Cemetery, Melbourne

Source:  Boroondara General Cemetery

References

Anon (1988) ‘AA Alfonsas Ragauskas (in Lithuanian)’ Tėviškės Aidai [The Echoes of Homeland] Melbourne, 17 May, p 7.

Boroondara General Cemetery, Grave Locator, <Ragauskas>, https://boroondaracemetery.discovereverafter.com/ accessed 23 January 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Migrant Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla [Victoria]; A2571, Name Index Cards, Migrants Registration [Bonegilla] 1947-1956; RAGAUSKAS, Alfonsas : Year of Birth - 1914 : Nationality - LITHUANIAN : Travelled per - GEN. HEINTZELMAN : Number – 641, 1947-1948, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=203913539 accessed 24 January 2025.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Immigration, Central Office; A435, Class 4 correspondence files relating to naturalisation, 1939-50; 1949/4/4224, RAGAUSKAS Alfonsas - born 19 January 1914 - Lithuanian, 1949-53 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=6944679 accessed 9 February 2025.

Sestokas, Josef (2010) Welcome to Little Europe, Displaced Persons and the North Camp, Little Chicken Publishing, Sale, Victoria, pp 1, 87, 261. [This now is out of print but a digitised version can be read at https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Welcome_to_Little_Europe/PqDgc5KKfvIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Welcome+to+Little+Europe&pg=PT58&printsec=frontcover accessed 24 January 2025.