30 Return to Western Australia, by Ann Tündern-Smith

We've noted already that the Western Australian public and, probably, Western Australian public officials, thought that all of the passengers were going to stay in their state. It therefore was politic to oblige at least one Western Australia employer with a group of new employees. 

In fact, three employers were supported, all in the timber industry one way or another. They were Bunning Brothers (now known nationally and in New Zealand), Millers Timber & Trading Co Ltd and the State Saw Mills. Between them, they were supplied with 30 workers. All left the Bonegilla Reception and Training Centre on 15 January 1948. That was after a 5-week stay in the Bonegilla camp and about 6 weeks since they had left Western Australia on the Kanimbla.

The first notice of their impending arrival was given 10 days before they left for Western Australia. Given the size of the report and its placement at the bottom of page 8 of the local daily newspaper, maybe the disappointment wasn't so great after all.

The second paragraph contains the first news of the return of 30 men to WA

Source: West Australian, 5 January 1948, page 8

Regardless of their previous experience (at least one placed elsewhere had been a senior manager), they would all start on the bottom rung of the timber industry as labourers, a sawmillers’ spokesman told the West Australian newspaper. They would receive union rates of pay (as mandated by the Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell, and the best way of ensuring their integration into the workforce anyhow).

Source:  West Australian, 6 January 1948, page 7

On the same day, 6 January, the West Australian ran an editorial in support of the new Baltic arrivals and European migration generally.  This was important, given how focussed migration plans had been on sourcing Britons until Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell, had visited Europe in the middle of the previous year.  It meant that an influential voice in Western Australia was supportin Calwell's new direction

The West Australian's editorial in support of migration from Europe

Source:  West Australian, 6 January 1948, page 7

The West Australian reported 2 days after they left Bonegilla that they were expected in Perth two days later, on January 19. Their destinations would be the towns of Pemberton, Jarrahdale, Treesville and Manjimup. (Two of those names do sound like settlements started specifically for the timber industry.)

Like the previous two notices, this one was tucked away, again on page 7.

Source:  West Australian, 17 January 1948

The Perth evening newspaper, the Daily News, gave them much more prominence on their day of their arrival, with a photograph and report on page 2. Indeed, there was page 1 prominence given to one of the men, former Estonian Albert Kaddatz. I hope we can look at him in more detail soon.

Page 2 news with a photograph this time!
Source:  Perth Daily News, 19 January 1948
(Click on the image for a more legible version in a new webpage)

All of the men with their potential employers are listed below.

Bunning Brothers
Gerhard Gruscin	Lithuanian
Anskis Reizgys	Lithuanian
Edvardas Rimkevicius	Lithuanian
Zenonas Sakalinskas	Lithuanian
Juozas Sadauskas	Lithuanian
Kostas Sanda	Lithuanian
Anton Kokins	Latvian
Janis Reinholds	Latvian
Olgerts Rutkis	Latvian
Millers Timber & Trading Co Ltd
Hugo Poldemaa	Estonian
Izidors Puzulis	Latvian
Janis-Benedikts Plaudis	Latvian
Vladis Norberts	Latvian
Juozas Mozuras	Lithuanian
Jonas Plestys	Lithuanian
Zigmas Plukis	Lithuanian
Algirdas Pranckunas	Lithuanian
Antanas Preimonas	Lithuanian
Stasys Rastutis	Lithuanian
State Saw Mills
Albert Kaddatz	Estonian
Algirdas Undzenas	Lithuanian
Juozas Savikas	Lithuanian
Augustinas Semiotas	Lithuanian
Kazys Sinkevicius	Lithuanian
Alfonsas Slionskis	Lithuanian
Bronius Smaliorius	Lithuanian
Alfredas Sutkevicius	Lithuanian
Jurgis Tucinskas	Lithuanian
Pranas Vysniauskas	Lithuanian

Once again, the number of names do not match the claimed numbers involved. There are no 30 people above, but 29.

The explanation in this case is the missing Bonegilla card for Alfonsas Sadauskas. We already know his story, thanks to a son, Vidas, who says that Alfonsas was sent to the Mundaring Weir area about 40km east of Perth. What we don’t know is which of the three employers sent him there.

He was not necessarily employed with Juozas Sadauskas, who appears not to have been a relative. In fact, the name Sadauskas is so common that 3 people called Juozas Sadauskas, but with different dates of birth, migrated to Australia under the IRO Mass Scheme.

Just as we now have linked Alfonsas Sadauskas’ story to the mention of his name above, we’ll link other stories to their names above as they come to hand.

SOURCE

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Immigration, Western Australian Branch; PP482/1, Correspondence files [nominal rolls], single number series; 82, General Heintzelman - arrived Fremantle 28 November 1947 - nominal rolls of passengers https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=439196 accessed 27 June 2025.

 

The stopover in Perth, 28 November - 2 December 1947 by Ann Tündern-Smith

We've looked already at the carefully organised disembarkation of 839 passengers from the USAT General Stuart Heintzelman in Fremantle, the harbour for Western Australia's capital city of Perth.  We've read the letter of thanks from Roberts Miezitis to the managers of the Swanbourne Barracks canteen.  Below is the covering note from the Acting Commonwealth Migration Officer for Western Australia, RW Gratwick.

The report from the Supervising Manager of both Army camps, or perhaps only the Graylands camp, Mr C Huck follows.

I reckon he fudged his figures because he thought that he had to get a total of 844.  For instance, 114 women is the number on women on the Heintzelman, not the 112 allowed to land.

In reality, there were 843 on the Heintzelman as one person had not embarked at the last minute.  We already know from the disembarkation report that 4 were not allowed to land in Australia, while a fifth was taken to hospital for treatment.  The numbers in Mr Huck's report should add up to only 838.

I wonder also about his 9.30 pm departure time on 2 December, since JB Thompson's report to RW Gratwick says that the Kanimbla had sailed at "1800 hrs." on 2 December.  That time converts to 6 pm.

This lower headcount make the cost per head slightly more expensive than Mr Huck's calculation, as the money was spent on fewer people.  However, given the two debatable figures so far, I've decided that the total number of meals could be out too, so checking is best put to one side.

In any case, on 22 pennies each day translates into Australian decimal currency as 22 cents.  The Reserve Bank's Pre-Decimal Inflation Calculator says that what cost 22 cents in 1947 would have cost $7.63 in 2024.  While you wouldn't get a cup of coffee and something to go with it for $7.63 now, the two camp canteens would have had the benefit of buying in bulk at wholesale prices.

Sources

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Immigration, Western Australian Branch; PP482/1, Correspondence files [nominal rolls], single number series; 82, General Heintzelman - arrived Fremantle 28 November 1947 - nominal rolls of passengers https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=439196 accessed 27 June 2025.

Reserve Bank of Australia, Pre-Decimal Inflation Calculator https://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualPreDecimal.html accessed 29 June 2025.

Roberts Miezitis, who was thankful, by Ann Tündern-Smith

Born in 1909, Latvian Roberts Miezitis was one of the older passengers on the First Transport, the USAT General Stuart Heintzelman.  His spoken English was so good that he was one of 15 nominated by cable from Germany as suitable for employment in an Australian staging camp as teacher or interpreter.  His written English, if transcribed faithfully in the typescript below, was a work in progress, but still easy to understand.

Robert Miezitis' letter with at least one transcription error 
(the spelling of his family name)

Source:  National Archives of Australia

Mr and Mrs Webb ran the canteen at the Swanbourne Barracks, according to Gratwick's minute to Nutt.

Why do we have it still?  It was attached to a report sent from Perth to Canberra, by the Acting Commonwealth Migration Officer for Western Australia, RW Gratwick, to the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Immigration (Arthur Leonard) Nutt.   Gratwick attached two other reports will I will put up soon.

"Oronge" is mentioned three times, as a symbol of luxury, I suspect. Not necessarily in Europe before WWII, but certainly during the War.

Given the abundance of oranges and orange juice in Australia today, it's hard to image them as luxuries. Only one hundred years and more ago, they were luxuries in Europe. Hence the "orangerie", a greenhouse rich people had on their properties specifically to grow them.

Sources

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Immigration, Central Office; A445/1, Correspondence files, multiple number series (policy matters); 174/4/8, Bonegilla Centre - Education of new Australians https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=75444 accessed 27 June 2025.

National Archives of Australia:  Department of Immigration, Western Australian Branch; PP482/1, Correspondence files [nominal rolls], single number series; 82, General Heintzelman - arrived Fremantle 28 November 1947 - nominal rolls of passengers https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=439196 accessed 27 June 2025.

"You Are Welcome in Australia" with Daina Pocius

Daina has found an undated, unsourced news clipping, about the Lithuanian First Transporters' first couple of days in Australia after they disembarked in Fremantle.  Here is her translation.

"You Are Welcome in Australia"

After a long, 30-day journey, on November 28 the first DPs (Displaced Persons) arrived from Germany.  One DP writes about his experiences in the new place.

Our first stop in Australia was Fremantle. Government representatives, press and film correspondents welcomed the arrivals on the shore.  After greetings and some brief information about future goals, we boarded the bus.  Slowly large cars move through the streets of the small seaside town, along the edge of the sea.  The feeling is a little strange, but still good, because we clearly feel that we are no longer illegitimate DPs, but full members of humanity again.

Shed A on Victoria Quay, Fremantle, was where the First Transport passengers encountered their final processing for entry to Australia: identity documents checked for immigration purposes and suitcases checked for quarantine breaches and
any customs payable (likely to be nil).  The shed was one of four built in the 1920s for preparing WA-grown fruit for export.  The 1930s photographer had a high vantage point where the WA Maritime Museum is located now.

Source:  Fremantle Ports

Like in a motley film strip, oleanders are blooming all around, near strange snow-white residential houses with verandas and carefully maintained lawns.  A large palm tree grows near each house, under which lounge chairs sit.  The palm tree here is considered the sanctity of the house and is seen everywhere.  Our first impression is excellent.  After 9 miles of travel, we reach our destination.  Instead of the expected wooden barracks, we are accommodated in beautiful tin houses with 3-4 or 6-7 people in each.  They were built for the soldiers.  The walls are painted white, and the roofs are made of white or red tiles.  The interior of the building is very reminiscent of a hospital.  Beds are covered in two sheets and several blankets.  The organisation is exemplary.

After washing off the travel dust, we go to lunch.  The dining hall is large with self-service equipment.  A pleasant surprise is the Australian government’s written greetings and wishes for each new arrival. Its content is approximately as follows: ‘Australia says welcome.  You are the first European DPs to come to Australia.  You are temporarily without your homeland, and we want to help you as much as we can. If you are kind and obedient, we will do more for you.  You are invited and welcome in Australia.  Signed: Minister of Immigration commissioned by the Australian Government.  After reading these heartfelt lines, tears appear in some eyes.

Then the eating begins.  Our first lunch in Australia consisted of soup, steak with vegetables, fruit compote, pudding, oranges and other fruits.  In reality, we have to say that we have not been interested in eating for quite some time.  This is followed by the message that we are free and can go and do what we want.  We just can't forget that at 6 o'clock, we must return for dinner.

Firstly, we go and explore the city.  We wander the streets and look through the shop windows into full shops.   Almost everything can be bought without ration cards, with the exception of some textile goods, for example, woollen materials, foreign contractor silk, etc.

The Australians have been well informed about our arrival.  Wherever possible, they come and tell us a lot about themselves and how they came to be in Australia.  Many came here with only a few suitcases, but now have a house and car.  Those who want to work and live sensibly will be able to settle comfortably in a short time.  They reassure us not to get dismayed because everything will be fine. Australians are happy to help new migrants.

There is a lot of traffic on the streets.  People are well dressed.  The first night we visited the cinema.  It looked like we would get into the hall, but there was a surprise. The walls of the "Room" were not only lined with rows of living palm trees, but blue clouds were overhead.

We will leave Fremantle by boat in a couple of days for Melbourne, where we will be assigned work.  Today, the first Australian commission arrived and will inform us about the working conditions.  The authorities are very polite, and you can speak to them openly.  They ask what we did in our homeland, in Germany, and what we would like to do in Australia.  They did say we may not be happy about the work at first not corresponding to our professions. (LZ)

Searching both the National Library of Australia's Trove and a Lithuanian-language equivalent, Spauda.org, produces no results for this article.  Can you help us source it?

About the author:  The two passengers on the General Stuart Heintzelman, the First Transport, with the initials 'LZ' were both Latvians.  Tracking down the author may be even harder than pinpointing the publication details.

Notes:  1.  About the 30 days for the Heintzelman to sail to Australia being "long", it was in fact something of a record short journey.  Most ships sailing to Australia from northern Europe at that time were taking something like 6 weeks for the same journey.

2.  Click on either image to see enlarged versions of them.