Russian AnzacsStanley John Siwczynski
| Alias | Served as John Stanislaw Siwezynski |
|---|---|
| Born | 8.05.1884 |
| Place | Tomaszów, Warsaw, Poland |
| Ethnic origin | Polish (knew Russian and Polish languages) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Father | Antonis Siwczynski |
| Mother | Michalina |
| Family | Wife Marion (Mary Ann) Siwczynski née Grinewald (later changed to Germon), married in the USA, separated in 1928 at Sydney, daughter Kateryn Lorrain Siwczynski b.1924 Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, lived with father in Australia |
| Residence before arrival at Australia | Lived in Germany for 1 year |
| Arrived at Australia |
from Germany on 23.11.1912 per Aneberg disembarked at Brisbane |
| Residence before enlistment | Brisbane |
| Occupation | 1915 labourer, 1919 general saddler, 1930 and later motor mechanic |
| Naturalisation | 1940 |
| Residence after the war | Brisbane, 1921-1924 Michigan, USA, 1924 returned to Australia, Northern Territory, Sydney, Innisfail, Ayr, Home Hill, Brisbane |
| Died | 1965, Qld |
Service #1
| Service number | 3493 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 2.07.1915 |
| Place of enlistment | Brisbane |
| Unit | 9th Battalion, 49th Battalion, 11th FAB |
| Rank | Private, Gunner, Saddler, Corporal |
| Place | Western Front, 1916-1918 |
| Awards | 9.01.1918 Croix de Guerre, Belgian decoration, France (LG 12/07/1918) |
| Final fate | RTA 19.10.1918 (on account of Russian nationality) |
| Discharged | 15.02.1919 |
Materials
Naturalisation 1 2 (NAA) (Siwczynski)
Digitised service records (NAA) (Siwezynski)
Digitised Embarkation roll entry (AWM)
Digitised recommendation for award (NAA) (Siwezynski)
Alien registration (NAA)
Blog article
Newspaper articles
Fighting Russians. Innisfail interlude. New trial application. - Cairns Post, 4 June 1929, p. 9
Failed to renew. Motor car registration. - Cairns Post, 7 May 1931, p. 2
Writ of habeas corpus. - Northern Standard, Darwin, 28 October 1932, p. 9
Innisfail uproar. Russians disagree. - Cairns Post, 7 December 1932, p. 5
"Smashed to smithereens. - Cairns Post, 3 May 1933, p. 6, 4
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
John Stanislaw Siwezynski (Siwczynski), who was awarded a Belgian Croix de Guerre, carried supplies through heavy artillery bombardment to his howitzer battery [Menin Road, 1917].
[...] Among those who were returned 'on account of Russian nationality' there were several men who had made no application to be discharged, and were not in any case noted for radical inclinations: John Siwezynski, who was decorated with a Belgian Croix de Guerre, Nicholas Korotcoff, Justin Gooliaeff, George Sekachoff (all from artillery units), and Richard Gregorenko from the 14th Field Ambulance. This selection of men, fuelled by the Russian scare, seems rather arbitrary. Nearly all of them were from the 4th Division (its 11th Field Artillery Brigade, where Smagin had earlier served, was completely purged of Russians); other divisional commanders did not bother to purge their ranks of Russians.