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.

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

Updated 19 January, 25 January and 7 February 2025

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

Source:  Lithuanian State Historical Archives

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

Source:  Bonegilla Migrant Experience

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

Jonas Strankauskas' Lithuanian identity paper from 1937

Source:  AustralianLithuanian Archive

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.  Two years later, in October 1947, he advised the Australian selection panel that he had 10 years experience as a joiner, someone who made furniture rather than someone engaged in the rougher woodwork of building houses.

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. Despite having trained and worked as a joiner, he was recruited into Australia as a much-needed builder’s labourer, for erection of 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, with a salary of £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

Source:  Steve Swayne on Flickr

On 18 August 1948 at his own request, Jonas left Woomera and moved to the State’s capital city, Adelaide.  Two days later, he joined the South Australian Railways' workforce and, 11 days later, he was off to join the other First Transporters at Peterborough.

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.  

This intense support was despite Jonas reporting to the Australian selection panel in Germany that he had only 4 years of primary school education, the norm in Lithuania in those days.

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 Strankauskas is the gentleman at the righthand end of the middle row
in this 1961 photo of the Vytis sportspeople and officials

Source:  Australijos Lietuvių Metraštis, 1961, courtesy Jonas Mockunas

Jonas is eighth from the left among those standing at the back in this 1963 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.

A formal portrait of Jonas Strankauskas

Source:  Australian Lithuanian Archive

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.

Australijos Lietuvių Metraštis [Australian Lithuanian Annual] (1961) Sydney, p. 126.

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

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Immigration, Central Office; A11772, Migrant Selection Documents for Displaced Persons who travelled to Australia per General Stuart Heintzelman departing Bremerhaven 30 October 1947; 665, STRANKAUSKAS Jonas DOB 1 September 1916 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=5118088 accessed 19 January 2025.

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Immigration, South Australia Branch; D4881, Alien registration cards, alphabetical series, 1877-1976; STRANKAUSKAS Jonas - Nationality: Lithuanian - Arrived: Fremantle per General Stuart Heintzelman 28 November 1947, 1947-56 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=9225262 accessed 7 February 2025.

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.

Romualdas Zeronas (1922-1995): Why Tiger? by Rasa Ščevinskienė with Ann Tündern-Smith

Updated 30 December 2024

When my grandfather, Adomas Ivanauskas, was sent to Iron Knob in South Australia to work for BHP’s predecessor, he did not travel alone. Ten other General Stuart Heintzelman passengers left the Bonegilla camp with him on 15 April 1948. One of them was another Lithuanian, Romualdas Zeronas. 

The Broken Hill Proprietary Company had pegged a claim around Iron Knob in 1897, quite soon after it was founded in the New South Wales town of Broken Hill in 1885. Mining at Iron Knob started in 1900. The iron ore was of such high quality that it is claimed that it led to the start of a steel industry in Australia. Mining ceased in 1998, but another company reopened the mine in 2010.

As for Romualdas Zeronas, he was born on 30 September 1922 in Kaunas, Lithuania, although documents from the Third Reich now in the Arolsen Archives have him born in Russia. His parents were Jonas Zeronas and the former Viktorija Sinkeviciute. He had an older brother Viktoras, born in 1920, two younger sisters, Rita and Danute, and a younger brother, Algimantas.

From Arolsen Archives documents, we can see that Viktorija and Viktoras were living separately from Romualdas in Germany. Romualdas was in Oldenburg in the northwest, while his mother and brother were in Uffenheim in the south. Jonas and the younger children are not in these records. 

From these documents we know also that Romualdas arrived in Germany on 22 April 1945. When he stopped travelling west, he had reached the British Zone. His mother and brother, in Uffenheim, were in the American Zone. They may not have realised that Romualdas was in Germany also and he may not have known where they were.

In March 1946, the Lithuanian language newspaper Ziburiai, published in Germany, had an advertisment placed by Romualdas who was looking for his wife, Genovaite Zeroniene. We have been unable to find a marriage record for them. Nor could Romualdas find Genovaite, it seems, since his Bonegilla card describes his marital status as single.

Romualdas’ mother, Viktorija, and brother, Viktoras, moved together to the United States. Romualdas travelled alone to Australia. Romualdas Zeronas left Bremerhaven for Australia with 842 other Baltic refugees on the USAT General Stuart Heintzelman on 30 October 1947, arriving in Australia on 28 November 1947.

One week after arriving in the Bonegilla camp, on 15 December 1947, he started working in camp as a kitchen hand. He was no longer needed in this job after 18 January 1948, probably because so many other former Heintzelman passengers has left the camp for their first employment. 

Romualdas Zeronas’ photo from his Bonegilla card

Source:  National Archives of Australia

His first job outside the camp was with HE Pickworth of Ardmona, Victoria, picking fruit in an orchard. He left Bonegilla camp in 28 January with others and worked there until the end of March. These days are described in Endrius Jankus’ memoir at https://firsttransport.blogspot.com/2023/01/bonegilla-1947-1948-at-last-off-to-work.html

On 1 April, he returned to the Bonegilla camp to wait for his next work assignment. On 15 April 1948 he and the ten others were sent to Iron Knob. His salary was to be £6.8.00 per week.

He left Iron Knob and on 28 May 1948 arrived at the Department of Works and Housing, Philip Ponds, Woomera, also in South Australia. He worked here as baker.

I think that Romualdas and my grandfather, Adomas, had become friends. This is because Adomas followed Romualdas to Woomera, arriving ten weeks later on 6 August 1948. I expect that Romualdas told Adomas that the pay was better in Woomera.

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

Source:  Steve Swayne on Flickr

Woomera was established as a Department of Defence testing facility in mid-1947. Civilians here earned at least £9.10.00 per week.

A nominal roll of persons employed at Woomera says that he was dismissed from here in 1948. Perhaps this former kitchen hand was not quite the skilled creator of daily bread that his employers had wanted.

After leaving Woomera, Adomas went to Adelaide, South Australia’s capital city, while Romualdas to Woodside, east of Adelaide.

Romualdas started working as cook at the Department of Immigration’s Woodside camp for new arrivals on 7 May 1949. He left this employment on 12 October 1949. Along with most other Heintzelman arrivals, he was released early from his contract to work in Australia for two years on 30 October 1949.

On 19 January 1950, he started work as cook in Leigh Creek, South Australia. This was with a South Australian Government authority, ETSA or the Electricity Trust of South Australia. We know that he moved then to the Northern Territory (NT).

Romualdas was a basketballer. At 5 feet 6 inches, according to his Bonegilla card, he did not have the height, but he must have had agility. On 7 March 1952, the Centralian Advocate newspaper had a report about basketball players and their points scored. Romualdas was third on the list. He also was fifth on the list of best and fairest player votes cast by the umpires.

The Centralian Advocate was published in Alice Springs, a vital town in the middle of Australia but still with a population of only 33,000.

His basketball team was called DCA, which I think stood for Department of Civil Aviation. It is possible that this team was based around DCA employees at the Alice Springs airport. As this was a Commonwealth Government department, the team may well have looked for other players with Commonwealth connections, such as a former cook in defence and migration camps.

The Centralian Advocate also carried reports of a player called Johnnie or Johnny Zeronis with the DCA team. Given that the population of Alice in the 1954 Census was less than 3,000 and would have been smaller still in 1951–53 when Zeronis was playing, this name has to belong to our Romualdas Zeronas – especially as one “Zeronas” spelling is preceded by the name “John”.

At the end of the 1951 season, Johnny Zeronis (or Romualdas Zeronas) had come second on the list of players with the most goals scored (Centralian Advocate,1951a).

After 1953, John, Johnny or Johnnie Zeronis or Zeronas disappeared from the Alice Springs basketball reports, possibly because he had moved again. When he granted a Certificate of Australian citizenship on 13 November 1961, his address was care of Railways, Mataranka, NT. 

Mataranka was a town even smaller than Alice Springs, best described as a village if this word was used in Australia, since its 2021 Census population was a tiny 384. The 1963 electoral roll for the Territory District of Elsey showed Romualdas still living in Mataranka, with the occupation of fettler. This was a labouring job, responsible for keeping the local railway lines in good and safe condition, in “fine fettle”.

After Romualdas left Germany, he most likely did not keep in touch with those members of his family who had left for the United States. His mother, Viktorija Zeroniene, died on 6 April 1972 in Chicago. The Lithuanian-Australian newspaper Mūsų Pastogė printed an advertisement on 20 November 1972 seeking Romualdas in connection with his inheritance after her death.

Romualdas died on 29 December 1995 and was buried in Alice Springs Garden Cemetery (Alice Springs Town Council). Sadly, his name was misspelt even in death, although this time it was his first name which suffered. Somehow he had acquired the nickname of Tiger and presumably was well known for the phrase on his plaque, “How to be like that”.

Romualdas Zeronas’ plaque in the Alice Springs Garden Cemetery, NT

Source:  Find A Grave

Sources

Alice Springs Town Council ‘Resident Info, Cemeteries’, https://alicesprings.nt.gov.au/community/residents-info/cemeteries accessed 15 December 2024.

Ancestry.com ‘Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980 for Romualdas Zeronas’ https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1207/images/31242_178942__1963001-00398?treeid=&personid=&rc=&queryId=32c35b6e-3b62-48f8-b358-dcbb55432f98&usePUB=true&_phsrc=oIs566&_phstart=successSource&pId=104357994 accessed 13 December 2024.

Arolsen Archives Search ‘Zeronas’ https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/search/person/70252657?s=zeronas&t=567404&p=0 accessed 13 December 2024.

Australian Bureau of Statistics ‘Latest release, Mataranka, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats’ https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL70179 accessed 13 December 2024.

Bonegilla Migrant Experience ‘Bonegilla Identity Card Lookup: Romualdas Zeronas’ https://idcards.bonegilla.org.au/record/203730950 accessed 13 December 2024.

Centralian Advocate (1951a) 'Basketball Trophy Winners Announced' Alice Springs, NT, 23 March p 1 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59842057 accessed 12 December 2024.

Centralian Advocate (1951b) 'D.C.A. Defeat Eagles', Alice Springs, NT, 16 November, p 4 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59836286 accessed 12 December 2024.

Centralian Advocate (1951c) 'Dodgers Head Basketball Premiership Table', Alice Springs, NT, 19 January p 2 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59839262 accessed 12 December 2024.

Centralian Advocate (1952) 'Basketball Position' Alice Springs, NT, 7 March, p 16 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59835438 accessed 12 December 2024.

Centralian Advocate (1953) ‘Basketball: Tigers Take Double’ Alice Springs, NT, 20 March https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/65172477 accessed 13 December 2024.

Commonwealth of Australia (1962) ‘Gazette, Certificates of Naturalization’, 1 November, page 3839 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241014568/25993941 accessed 14 December 2024.

FindAGrave ‘Romunaldas (sic) “Tiger” Zeronas’ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/205989861/romunaldas-zeronas#view-photo=197703157 accessed 13 December 2024.

Iron Knob https://ironknob.org accessed 14 December 2024.

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National Archives of Australia: Department of Immigration, South Australia Branch; D343, Woodside immigration holding camp nominal index cards, 1947-1962; ZERONAS R, ZERONAS Romuldas - Nationality: Lithuanian - Arrived Melbourne per General M B Stewart 30 November 1947, 1949-1949 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=33073091 accessed 14 December 2024.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Immigration, South Australia Branch; D4881, Alien registration cards, alphabetical series, 1946 – 1976; ZERONAS ROMAULDAS, 1947 – 1950 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=30039454 accessed 14 December 2024.

National Archives of Australia: Department of Labour and National Service, Central Office; MT29/1, Employment Service Schedules, 1948-1950; Schedule of displaced persons who left the Reception and Training Centre, Bonegilla Victoria for employment in the State of South Australia - [Schedule no SA1 to SA31], 1948-1950 https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=23150376 accessed 14 December 2024 [page 49].

National Archives of Australia: Investigation Branch, South Australia; 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 14 December 2024 [page 33].

Naujienos (1972) [Advertising, in Lithuanian] Chicago, Illinois, 24 May, page 4, https://spauda.org/naujienos/archive/1972/1972-05-24-NAUJIENOS.pdf accessed 15 December 2024.

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Ziburiai (1946) ‘Teviskes ziburiai’ (‘Lights of the Homeland’ in Lithuanian) Augsburg, Germany, 16 March, page 10, https://spauda2.org/dp/dpspaudinys_ziburiai/archive/1946-03-16-ZIBURIAI.pdf accessed 15 December 2024.