Russian AnzacsErnest Otto Brutton
| Alias | Ernest Ottoff; Bruttan |
|---|---|
| Born | 14.06.1895 |
| Place | Luban, near Riga, Latvia |
| Ethnic origin | German / Latvian |
| Religion | Lutheran |
| Father | Otto Bruttan |
| Mother | Lisa Bruttan |
| Family | Wife Ada Rose Brutton (née Frost), married 1925; son Harold |
| Residence before arrival at Australia | Left Russia at the age of 16, went to Argentina, learned the trade of electrician, was in New York in 1913 |
| Arrived at Australia |
from New York on 24.10.1915 per Talus disembarked at Sydney |
| Residence before enlistment | Sydney |
| Occupation | 1915 seaman AB, 1919 electrician |
| Naturalisation | 1919 |
| Residence after the war | Bingara, NSW; Sydney, Tully River, Tully, Frenchman's Creek, Cairns |
| Died | 1.10.1975 |
Service #1
| Service number | 1974A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 21.12.1915 |
| Place of enlistment | Casula, NSW |
| Unit | 31st Battalion, 15th FAB, 7th Battery 3rd FAB |
| Rank | Private, Gunner |
| Place | Western Front, 1916-1917 |
| Casualties | WIA 1917 |
| Final fate | RTA 23.09.1918 |
| Discharged | 28.12.1918 MU |
Materials
Digitised naturalisation (NAA)
Digitised service records (NAA)
Applications to enlist in the AIF (NAA)
Digitised Embarkation roll entry (AWM)
Court martial file (NAA)
Townsville Sub-collector of customs file (NAA)
Pension case file 1 2 (NAA)
Repatriation Medical case file (NAA)
Blog articles
Filips Lastovskis, Bēgot no cara, kuģa vai bezdarba: drošsirdīgi latvieši, kas karoja zem Austrālijas karoga. - DELFI PLUS, 2020
Филипс Ластовскис. Убежать от царя и безработицы. Латвийцы в армии Австралии: кто они?, - DELFI PLUS, 2020
Newspaper articles
Police court. - Moree Gwydir Examiner and General Advertiser, 20 October 1921, p. 2.
Innisfail notes. - Townsville Daily Bulletin, 13 April 1925, p. 9.
Field workers' claim. - The Northern Herald, Cairns, 15 April 1925, page 11.
A leg injury. - Cairns Post, 10 May 1943, p. 2.
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
Ernest Otto Brutton, the former seaman of German background from Latvia, served as a gunner at the Western Front until he was gassed at Ypres. On returning to Australia, he tried various things: he was a milk vendor, worked on coastal vessels, and then tried tobacco-farming and cane-cutting; finally, at Cairns, he also ended up on the waterfront.
A few Russians played an active role in returned soldier organisations, too. Ernest Brutton was a long-standing Cairns RSL member and 'marshal for ANZAC Day marches. He was responsible for making sure all the chaps march in the correct groups, army, navy, airforce; he virtually controlled the whole parade. It was quite a big job.' [remembers his son Harold].
Gallery
Portrait of E O Brutton, Broadmeadows, ca 23.02.1916
(AWM collection DA14043)
Ernest Otto Brutton (right) with cane cutters at North Queensland
Courtesy of Harold Brutton