Russian AnzacsVachalar Kovalsky
| Alias | Vachalaf; Vachelar Kavolsky (disch., death records); Vacheslav (pension), Mechislav (shipping records) |
|---|---|
| Russian spelling | Вячеслав Ковальский (Ковалевский) |
| Born | 1887 |
| Place | Moscow area, Russia |
| Ethnic origin | Russian / Polish |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Arrived at Australia |
from Far East, via Moji on 2.01.1913 per Empire disembarked at Brisbane |
| Residence before enlistment | Brisbane |
| Occupation | Labourer |
| Naturalisation | Served as Russian subject |
| Died | 28.12.1916 (poisoned himself) in London |
Service #1
| Service number | 2737A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 23.07.1915 |
| Place of enlistment | Brisbane or Toowoomba |
| Unit | 25th Battalion, 9th Battalion |
| Rank | Private |
| Place | Western Front, 1916 |
| Discharged | 25.11.1916 in London, MU |
Materials
Blog article
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
The tremendous strain of [Pozières] battle had its fall-out afterwards. Some of the men fell ill after returning from the front -- especially tragic was the story of Viacheslav Kovalsky from Moscow. Part of the Russian wave of immigration from the Far East, he came to Australia in 1912 and worked as a labourer. He was determined to join the army and, although rejected once, finally managed to enlist. After Pozières his sight began to go, rapidly; in the end he was taken to London. There, in November [1916], nearly blind, he was discharged. Three days after Christmas he poisoned himself: the police report stated he had 'no known friends in this country'. No friends of his were found in Australia either. He is [...] missing from the Australian Roll of Honour. In any case, the military authorities never bothered to find out how to write his name correctly, recording him one time as Vachalaf Kovalsky and another as Vachelar Kavolsky.