Gregory Kunin
AWM memorial panel 96
Russian spelling
Григорий Кунин (Кункин)
Born 1894
Place Volozhin, Belarus
Ethnic origin Jewish
Religion Jewish
Mother Basia Kunkin
Contacts
Friend of Ben Goffin
Arrived at Australia
from London, England
on 19.04.1914
per Port Macquarie
disembarked at Melbourne
Residence before enlistment Melbourne
Occupation Carpenter, joiner, seaman
Service service number 5043
enlisted 23.02.1916
POE Carlton, Victoria
unit 22nd Battalion
rank Private
place Western Front, 1916-1917
final fate KIA 18.09.1917
cemetery 112 Hooge Crater Cemetery Zillebeke, Belgium
Naturalisation Served as Russian subject
Materials
Digitised service records (NAA)
Digitised Embarkation roll entry (AWM)
Digitised Red Cross wounded and missing file (AWM)
Roll of Honour (AWM)
Blog article
Newspaper articles
Victorian news. - Hebrew Standard of Australasia, Sydney, 7 July 1916, p. 11.
Publications
Елена Говор, Белорусские Анзаки. - Białoruskie Zeszyty Historyczne, 2013, no. 40, c. 53-108.
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
Gregory Kunin, a Byelorussian who enlisted as a carpenter and seaman, was on outpost duty in a pill-box at Westhoek Ridge. He and nine other men were killed on the eve of the advance when 'An H.E. shell exploded on top of the pill box', according to his comrades: '... we dug out three bodies, those of Kunin, Cox and L/Cpl Northcote and the unrecognisable remains of the others, the men having been blown to pieces'. They were buried together with a cross over their grave, even though Kunin was a Jew. Ben Goffin, another Russian Jewish serviceman, enlisted and served with Kunin, of whom he wrote: 'He was a little dark fellow, full set, black curly hair. He was a great friend of mine.'