This obituary was written by Henrikas Juodvalkis' friend and fellow First Transport passenger, Endrius or Andrew Jankus, and published, in Lithuanian, in the Lithuanian-Australian newspaper, Musu Pastoge, on 19 February 2001. Andrew kindly provided his English language version to me many years ago. I am glad to be able to share it here, with some light editing to suit this medium 20 years later.
First Transport
passenger Henrikas Juodvalkis was born in Zarasai, a city in
northeastern Lithuania, on 5 February 1917. He died in Hobart on 3 February 2001, just
two days before his 84th birthday.
In the 1930s, he did military service in the pioneers
platoon of the Ukmergé infantry company. He then was offered a place
in the pioneers company in Radviliskis and a chance to further his
studies in the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy in Kaunas. Having served his term, he
decided to re-enlist in the army as an NCO.
When Lithuania regained Vilnius in 1940, Henrikas was
with the first Lithuanian units to march into the ancient capital. He was one of
the Guards of Honour who
guarded the Lithuanian tricolour flag that first day on Gediminas Hill, and he was among
those greeted at the flag lowering ceremony that evening by Generals Rastikis and
Plechavicius.
At the start of WWII, Henrikas served for those
who were fighting to reestablish an independent Lithuania. However, when
the Germans occupied Lithuania in 1941, independence was crushed and
Lithuanian army units were forced to serve the German invaders.
Because of his good record, and the shortage of
officers, Henrikas was promoted to Warrant Officer and assigned to lead the
third platoon of the third company. His battalion did guard duty in and around
Vilnius. He himself was assigned to the home guard of the German military
headquarters.
Later Henrikas’ battalion was sent to Russia and
stationed near Rostov. There it guarded Russian prisoners of war and undertook
mine-clearing operations at the front. After a year, when the tide of battle
turned against the Germans, they and their Hungarian allies began to retreat from
Russia.
While Henrikas was on leave he returned to Lithuania and
was unable to rejoin his unit as it was disbanded in the turmoil.
At that time, in February 1944, General Plechavicius
began to organise battalions of self-defence volunteers for Lithuania. Henrikas enlisted
and he was sent to Marijampole. One morning, his unit was surrounded by German SS units
and all were arrested.
The Germans made them wear Luftwaffe uniforms and sent them off to Germany to work,
mostly at repairing bombed airfields.
At the end of the War, Henrikas was near Hamburg. He
made his way to Flensburg and joined a group of Lithuanian displaced
persons at the Tim Kroger school. Later, all the Lithuanians were moved to a camp
at Mutzelburg.
Henrikas in Germany,
during the 1947 selection process for Australia
Henrikas came to
Australia on the First Transport in 1947. He was assigned to forestry work in
Tasmania, leaving the Bongilla camp in January 1948 for a job with Australian
Newsprint Mills in Maydena.
 |
Henrikas' "Bonegilla card" (The age doesn't match the date of birth: Henrikas was 30 years old when the card was typed)
Source: National Archives of Australia |
There, he married a local
girl, Dawn. Later, he and his wife shifted to Hobart, where they built a house. Henrikas
at first worked in a position of responsibility in a zinc factory. After a few years Henrikas and
Dawn set up a shop and were self-employed until pension age.
Henrikas in a group photograph of Lithuanians in Tasmania,
celebrating 50 years in Australia in 1997
Source: Hobart Mercury
Henrikas helped to
support his relatives in Lithuania and was a faithful son of this nation. He left
behind not only a grieving widow, Dawn, but also friends in the Hobart
Lithuanian community. The funeral took place on 7 February 2001.
Rest in peace,
Henrikas.
The original obituary in Musu Pastoge*
Meryl Dawn Juodvalkis died on
17 September 2106, aged 88.**
 |
Henrikas Juodvalkis in army uniform
Source: Musu Pastoge |
