Russian AnzacsWalter Pivinski
| Russian spelling | Владимир Пивинский |
|---|---|
| Born | 5.07.1887 or 15.07.1882 |
| Place | Odessa, Ukraine |
| Ethnic origin | Ukrainian |
| Religion | enlisted as Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic |
| Family | Wife Esther Pivinski |
| Residence before arrival at Australia | Served in the Russian Navy for 2 years |
| Arrived at Australia |
on 12.04.1914 |
| Residence before enlistment | Sydney, Kalgoorlie, WA |
| Occupation | Seaman, sailor, wardman |
| Naturalisation | Served as Russian subject, 1941 in USA |
| Residence after the war | 1917 London; 1919 left for the USA, 1920 & 1921 Pte 6204055, Field Hospital Coy 4, Fort Wm McKinley, Rizal, Philippine Islands (US Army, Manila), 1923 San Francisco, USA; by 1935 Tacoma, Washington, USA |
| Died | 29.05.1943, Tacoma, Washington, USA |
Service #1
| Service number | 720 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 4.05.1915 |
| Place of enlistment | Liverpool, NSW |
| Unit | 18th Battalion |
| Rank | Private |
| Place | Gallipoli, 1915 |
| Casualties | WIA 1915 |
| Final fate | RTA 17.09.1915 MU; 29.11.1915 returned to duty (his own request) |
Service #2
| Service number | 720 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 20.01.1916 |
| Place of enlistment | at sea |
| Unit | 18th Battalion, 3rd Battalion |
| Rank | Private |
| Place | Egypt, 1916 |
| Final fate | RTA 17.07.1916 |
| Discharged | 2.12.1916 MU |
Materials
Digitised service records (NAA)
Digitised Embarkation roll entry 1 2 (AWM)
Alien registration (NAA)
Medical file (NAA)
Blog article
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
Frank Lesnie, who had landed at Gallipoli in August in company with a number of Russians from 17-20th Battalions, wrote home on 1 November: 'I can only say this; the 18th Battn. ... arrived here 10 weeks ago and now 64 of the original lot remain. Most of them have gone away sick and wounded, but I don't know how many were killed. The 18th were dead unlucky, going into a charge the day following their landing.' That charge was in the battle for Hill 60, a fierce engagement at close range. Two Ukrainian-born soldiers from the 18th Battalion received bayonet wounds in it: Jack Vengert, previously a cook, bayoneted in the wrist; Walter Pivinski, a former sailor, 'wounded on the left eye with a bayonet', also had shrapnel wounds to the hand, a 'fracture of skull', and was 'wounded to the back through explosion of shell'. Both men were transported to Australia to recover, and both chose to return to the battlefields again.