Schija Fels
Alias Charles Schiya Fels
Born 9.06.1889
Place Warsaw, Poland
Ethnic origin Jewish
Religion Jewish
Father Saul Fels
Mother Wilhelmina (Wichta) nee Chvat
Family
Wife Vera Fels, born Russia ca 1907, Australian couturie trading as Germaine Rocher
Residence before arrival at Australia Served in the Russian Army for 1 year; in 1907 came to Antwerp, Belgium
Arrived at Australia
from France
on 30.12.1912
per Sydney
disembarked at Sydney
Residence before enlistment Sydney
Occupation 1914 diamond cutter, 1938 manufacturer, 1952 costumier
Service 1 service number 1126
enlisted 3.11.1914
POE Liverpool, NSW
unit 13th Battalion
rank Private
place Gallipoli, 1915
casualties WIA 1915
final fate RTA 8.10.1915
discharged 26.04.1916 MU
Service 2 enlisted 13.12.1916 left for England to enlist in Royal Flying Corps, was rejected as medically unfit and employed by the Department of Military Intelligence
Naturalisation 1919
Residence after the war Sydney, Shanghai, USA, England, France, Sydney from 1934
Died 19.06.1952, Sydney
Materials
Digitised naturalisation (NAA)
Digitised service records (NAA)
Digitised Embarkation roll entry (AWM)
Pay history card (NAA)
Alien registration (NAA)
Biographical file (AWM) (includes clipping from 'Sun' 1934 with photo)
Application for admission of relatives and friends 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (NAA)
Blog article
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
Schija Fels, the diamond cutter whom we last saw severely wounded at Bloody Angle, was discharged in Australia after his Gallipoli experience but then went to England on his own initiative. There, he first tried to enlist in the Royal Flying Corps but was rejected as medically unfit; he then managed to get a post in British military intelligence, where he served until the end of the war.
Newspaper articles
Smart Parisienne. - The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 February 1934, p. 5.
Sheila Scotter. A man about the house. - The Australian Women's Weekly, 8 February 1978, p. 73