Russian AnzacsToivo Alexander Haapanen
| Born | 13.08.1886 |
|---|---|
| Place | Tammerfors (Tampere), Finland |
| Ethnic origin | Finnish |
| Religion | Lutheran (1st enlistment); Church of England (2nd enlistment) |
| Mother | Josephina Haapanen |
| Family | Wife Hannah Haapanen, b. Finland, son Eric b. 1916 |
| Arrived at Australia |
from South America on 06.1913 per Kitty disembarked at Sydney |
| Residence before enlistment | Portland, Cobbora, NSW; Thallon, Qld; 1917 Wynnum, Qld |
| Occupation | Seaman |
| Naturalisation | 1918 |
| Residence after the war | 1919 Wynnum, Qld; 1935 Darwin; 1942 Broome, 1943 Derby, WA |
| Died | 1962 Perth |
Service #1
| Service number | 2374 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 7.05.1915 |
| Place of enlistment | Goondiwindi, Qld |
| Unit | 15th Battalion, Camel Corps, 18th Battalion (?) |
| Rank | Private |
| Place | Gallipoli, 1915; Egypt, 1916; England, 1916-1917 |
| Final fate | RTA 13.02.1917 |
| Discharged | 23.05.1917, 9 months home service |
Service #2
| Enlisted | 24.08.1918 |
|---|---|
| Place of enlistment | Brisbane |
| Unit | AN&MEF |
| Rank | Private |
| Place | New Guinea and New Britain, 1918-1919 |
| Final fate | RTA 5.08.1919 |
| Discharged | 8.10.1919 |
Service #3 – WWII
| Service number | W74851 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 4.08.1942 |
| Place of enlistment | Broome, WA |
| Unit | 11 North West Battalion VDC |
| Discharged | 25.08.1944 |
Materials
Digitised naturalisation (NAA)
Digitised WWI service records (NAA)
Personal case file (NAA)
WWII service records (NAA)
Blog article
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
[Among those] who served in New Britain was the Finnish seaman Toivo Haapanen; he had become sick while serving in Egypt with the Camel Corps but, after recovering in Australia, in August 1918 joined the AN&MEF and served for nearly ten months. Later, Haapanen will defend Australia for a third time -- during the Second World War.
Gallery
**Toivo Alexander Haapanen **
Queenslander Pictorial, supplement to The Queenslander, 14 August 1915, p. 23