Russian AnzacsJack Puss
| Born | 1878 |
|---|---|
| Place | Arensburg (Kuressaare), Oesel (Saaremaa), Estonia |
| Ethnic origin | Estonian |
| Religion | Protestant & Unitarian |
| Father | Arthur Puss |
| Residence before arrival at Australia | Has been working on German ships for 3 years |
| Residence before enlistment | Wallaroo, SA |
| Occupation | Carpenter |
| Naturalisation | Served as Russian subject |
| Residence after the war | 1918 USA |
Service #1
| Service number | 1557 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 14.07.1915 |
| Place of enlistment | Keswick, SA |
| Unit | 32nd Battalion |
| Rank | Private |
| Place | Western Front, 1916-1917 |
| Final fate | RTA 21.07.1917 |
| Discharged | 2.10.1917 'services no longer required' (suspicion of pro-Germanism) |
Materials
Blog article
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
Jack Puss, an Estonian, [...] a carpenter in civilian life, he had been fighting on the Western Front for nearly a year when one day he was heard to say, 'I think I would get better treatment if I went over to Fritz and held my hands up'. Another reason he came under suspicion was that he could speak German; he had previously worked for several years on German ships. He was immediately discharged without trial and considered ineligible for medals. After his discharge he completely disappears from Australian archival records; probably, he left Australia and did not care about getting any medals.