Russian AnzacsJames Theodor Gretchinsky
| Russian spelling | Яков Федорович Гречинский |
|---|---|
| Born | 23.10.1886 |
| Place | Gorodnia, Chernigov, Ukraine |
| Ethnic origin | Russian / Ukrainian |
| Religion | Russian Orthodox |
| Father | Feodor Gretchinsky |
| Mother | Mary Nicanorovna Gretchinsky |
| Family | 1915 married Helen Whitfield; later married Violet Mary (nee McMurdy) Gretchinsky |
| Residence before arrival at Australia | Was sub-lieutenant in the Russian army and fought in the Russo-Japanese war |
| Arrived at Australia |
from Vladivostok on 25.04.1913 per Yawata Maru disembarked at Brisbane |
| Residence before enlistment | Bingera plantation, Brisbane |
| Occupation | 1914, 1916, 1949, 1954 electrical engineer; 1917 watchman, greaser on 'Borda', 1933-43 engineer |
| Naturalisation | 1920 |
| Residence after the war | 1916-1919 Sydney, Perth, Kalgoorlie, Sydney, Newcastle, Sydney, Cobar, Uralla, Egypt, 1919 Sydney |
| Died | 24.09.1956, Brisbane |
Service #1
| Service number | 1353 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 24.12.1914 |
| Place of enlistment | Longreach, Qld |
| Unit | 9th Battalion |
| Rank | Private |
| Place | Egypt, 1915 |
| Final fate | RTA 10.06.1915 |
| Discharged | 13.08.1915 MU |
Service #2 – Depot
| Enlisted | 13.03.1916 |
|---|---|
| Place of enlistment | Brisbane |
| Rank | Private |
| Discharged | 3.05.1916 MU |
Materials
Digitised naturalisation (NAA)
Digitised service records (NAA)
Application to enlist in AIF (NAA)
Digitised Embarkation roll entry (AWM)
Investigation Branch file 1 2 (NAA)
Alien registration 1 2 (NAA)
Blog article
Publications
Елена Говор, Белорусские Анзаки, Białoruskie Zeszyty Historyczne, 2013, no. 40, c. 53-108. То же: Белорусские Анзаки, Неман, № 4, с. 152-167, № 5, с. 156-173.
Newspaper articles
Advertising. - Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton, 21 August 1913, p. 2.
Local and general news. Longreach. - The Capricornian, Rockhampton, 2 January 1915, p. 8.
Moree Land Board. - Moree Gwydir Examiner and General Advertiser, 11 September 1917, p. 1.
Six months imprisonment. - Western Argus, Kalgoorlie, WA, 31 December 1917.
Stuart Town. - Wellington Times, NSW, 14 March 1940, p. 5.
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
For some the process of Russianisation resulted in the loss or suppression of their original culture, which they grew up with; but many others developed, and maintained double (sometimes even triple) ethnic identities.[...] James Theodor Gretchinsky [...] was born in Gorodnia, in Ukraine (where it borders both modern-day Belarus and Russia). He applied to become an interpreter in the military censor's office, stating that he spoke 'Russian, Polish, and Courland, and one or two Russian dialects, also French and Japanese' -- by 'Russian dialects', he obviously means the Ukrainian and Byelorussian which would been spoken around him as he was growing up.
Gallery
James Theodor Gretchinsky
Queenslander Pictorial, supplement to The Queenslander, 23 January 1915, p. 25