Martin Mikkel Antin

Alias Mahrtin; enlisted as Fritz Lepin
Russian spelling Мартин Микель Антин
Born 16.12.1887
Place Riga, Latvia
Ethnic origin Latvian
Religion Lutheran
Father Mickel Antin
Mother Margarita Antin
Family

Wife May Jackson, married 1919 Sydney

Arrived at Australia from Russia
on 11.1912
per Davemby
disembarked at Sydney
Residence before enlistment Sydney
Occupation 1914 seaman, 1941 munition worker
Naturalisation 1941-1942 - refused
Residence after the war Sydney, Newcastle
Died 9.08.1957, Qld

Service #1

Service number 1408
Enlisted 14.11.1914
Place of enlistment Liverpool, NSW
Unit 13th Battalion, 4th MG Battalion
Rank Private, saddler
Place Gallipoli, 1915; Western Front, 1916-1918
Casualties WIA 1917, 1918 (2 times)
Final fate RTA 19.12.1918
Discharged 28.03.1919

Materials

Blog article

Russian

English

Newspaper articles

Woman's death. Husband under arrest. - The Canberra Times, 11 May 1929, p. 1

Antin inquest. - The Canberra Times, 13 June 1929, p. 1

Russian on murder charge. - The Argus, Melbourne, 13 June 1929, p. 7

Charge of murder. Not guilty. - The Canberra Times, 3 July 1929, p. 5

Murder charge fails. Story of accidental shooting. - The Argus, Melbourne, 3 July 1929, p. 11

From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:

Martin Antin, a Latvian former seaman, went through Gallipoli and was twice wounded at the Western Front fighting with the 4th Machine Gun Battalion, but then when he was in England he suddenly deserted. He was apprehended and at his court-martial stated, 'I enlisted in November 1914 under the name of Fritz Lepin. When I went to France in 1916 they all called me a German. In January 1918 I sent papers from France to London to have my name changed to my right name which is Martin Mikkel Antin. My alteration of name was read out on parade but my comrades still called me Fritz. Then I got gassed and was sent to England. ... I wanted to explain my case to a Court Martial so I stayed away.' And, again, as frequently happened at courts-martial, the initial charge of desertion was reduced to being absent without leave; Antin was sentenced to eight months, but six months were remitted 'on the grounds of the matter contained in his evidence and his long service'.

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