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?

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.

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

Source:  Wikimedia Commons

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.

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

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.

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

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. 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.

"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.

"General Stuart Heintzelman” men to Iron Knob, South Australia, by Ann Tündern-Smith

The harsh desert area around Iron Knob is Banggarla Aboriginal country.

The first European known to pass through the area was Edward John Eyre in 1839. He noted large deposit of iron ore protruding from an otherwise flat landscape and climbed one of these many hills, probably Iron Baron, which is around 30 Km south of Iron Knob. A 1848 report recorded that copper, lead, zinc and manganese had been discovered in the area (Aussie Towns).

As reported in the previous blog entry, on Romualdas Zeronas, the name Iron Knob first appeared on South Australian pastoral lease maps in 1854. The town of that name developed close to an ironstone hill of the same name, near an even larger hill called Iron Monarch.

The first mineral claim in the area was pegged by Broken Hill Proprietary Ltd (later BHP) in 1897. Mining commenced in 1900.

Iron Knob, Middleback Range, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia -- the original iron ore
deposit mined by the Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP) in 1900.
Behind it is the larger Iron Monarch

Source:  Wikipedia by Tnorm - Iron Knob.JPG, CC BY-SA 3.0

In 1939, a South Australian newspaper reported that in England, Iron Knob had been described as the largest known deposit of high-grade ore in the world (Recorder, 1939). A 1943 newspaper report said that the ore from Iron Monarch averaged about 64 per cent iron, with more than 60 per cent being regarded as high grade. The Iron Monarch ore was about 35 per cent better than English ores and 10 to 15 per cent better than the Lake Superior deposits in the United States (Advertiser, 1943).

Mining ceased in 1998 but the Iron Monarch mine was prepared for re-opening in 2013 (Wikipedia). Mining lasted for 5 years but started again in March 2022 after a three year break (Mindat.org).

Mining was in full swing in after World War II, when the General Stuart Heintzelman brought its refugees for the first time from Germany to Australia. Altogether 29 men were sent from Bonegilla to Iron Knob, in four groups.

19 February 1948

Name	Nationality
Cholmogorocovas, Jurgis	Lithuanian
Juotka, Petras	Lithuanian
Laurinavicius, Povilas	Lithuanian
Liaudinskas, Antanas	Lithuanian
Malickas, Stasys	Lithuanian
Maziliauskas, Romuldas	Lithuanian
Meskelis, Vilgelmas	Lithuanian
Miliauskas, Jeronimas	Lithuanian
Norkunas, Vytautas	Lithuanian
Samulis, Vincas	Lithuanian

16 March 1948

Bazys, Juozas	Lithuanian
Kucina, Nikolaus	Latvian
Kutka, Albinas	Lithuanian
Mesters, Peteris	Latvian

15 April 1948

Bergtals, Nikolajs	Latvian
Bergtals, Sergejs	Latvian
Ivanauskas, Adomas	Lithuanian
Järvekulg, Johannes	Estonian
Kiil, Rudolf	Estonian
Luekki/Lükki, Leonhard	Estonian
Muiznieks, Elmars	Latvian
Opincans, Peteris	Latvian
Smugajs, Edvards	Latvian
Valancius, Domas	Lithuanian
Zeronas, Romualdas	Lithuanian

29 April 1948

Kesa, Aleksander	Estonian
Kesa, Ernst	Estonian
Sprivuls, Rudolfs	Latvian
Stuknys, Vaclovas	Lithuanian

We have biographies on this blog already for three of the men, whose names are linked to these biographies in the different colour to the rest of the text. We will link more names as the biographies are added to the blog.

Sources

Advertiser, The (1943) 'South Australia's Most Important Production Centre ... Whyalla, the Iron Town, at War' Adelaide, South Australia, 31 July, p 3 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48762099 accessed 22 December 2024.

Aussie Towns ‘Iron Knob, SA’ https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/iron-knob-sa accessed 21 December 2024.

Mindat.org ‘Iron Monarch Main Pit’ https://www.mindat.org/loc-158.html accessed 21 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 [pages 40, 49, 55, 92].

Recorder, The (1939) ‘South Australian Manufacturers Hope for Steelworks at Whyalla’ Port Pirie, South Australia, 16 August, p 2 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/96363414 accessed 22 December 2024.

Wikipedia 'BHP' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BHP accessed 22 December 2024.

Wikipedia 'Iron Knob' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Knob accessed 22 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

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