William Kolesnikov

Alias Koles
Russian spelling Владимир Колесников
Born 7.03.1880
Place Surazh, Chernigov, Russia
Ethnic origin Ukrainian/Russian
Religion Church of England
Mother Justinia Kolesnikov
Arrived at Australia from Russia
on 12.04.1907
per Neva
disembarked at Fremantle, WA
Residence before enlistment Narrogin, Kalgoorlie, Perth, Fremantle, Sydney
Occupation 1911 labourer, 1916 hotel useful
Naturalisation 1911
Residence after the war Sydney
Died 1923, Sydney (missing)

Service #1

Service number 2681
Enlisted 24.05.1916
Place of enlistment Sydney
Unit 55th Battalion
Rank Private
Place Western Front, 1916-1917
Casualties WIA 1917
Final fate RTA 8.08.1918
Discharged 27.02.1919 MU

Materials

Blog article

Russian

English

Newspaper articles

Returned soldier missing. - The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 January 1923, p. 9

From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:

William Kolesnikov, from Peretin in the Ukraine, had [...] horrific wounds [at Polygon Wood, 1917] -- as well as wounds to his left arm, his jaw and mandible were fractured and his tongue was shot away. Yan Soolcovsky, a Gallipoli veteran who had been wounded previously at Mouquet Farm, now lost an arm at Polygon Wood. In 1920 he died in Brisbane with his fiancée at his side. Was there anybody to look after Kolesnikov? I could find no one.

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