Russian AnzacsWilliam Zavodtchikoff
| Alias | Zavodhkow; Zavodhkovw; Zavodchikoff; Zavodtchikoff known as William West; David William West |
|---|---|
| Russian spelling | Владимир (?) Заводчиков (Зоводчиков) |
| Born | 5.02.1895 |
| Place | Tomsk, Russia |
| Ethnic origin | Jewish / Russian |
| Religion | Lutheran; Church of England; Greek |
| Father | Roman Zavodhkow (Zavodtchikoff) |
| Family | Wife Renee Zavodtchikoff (née Segal), married 1945 |
| Arrived at Australia |
from Moji, Japan on 12.1914 per St Albans disembarked at Darwin |
| Residence before enlistment | Darwin, Townsville, Babinda, Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney |
| Occupation | 1915 labourer; 1917 cap-maker; 1925 general dealer |
| Naturalisation | 1925 |
| Residence after the war | Melbourne, Darwin, Sydney |
Service #1 – Depot
| Enlisted | 8.11.1915 |
|---|---|
| Place of enlistment | Townsville, Qld |
| Rank | Private |
| Discharged | 1.04.1916 being under age |
Service #2 – Depot
| Service number | N36448 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 18.07.1916 |
| Place of enlistment | Sydney |
| Rank | Private |
| Discharged | 24.01.1917 MU |
Service #3 – Depot
| Service number | 1050 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted | 2.10.1917 |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne |
| Unit | 3rd District guard |
| Rank | Private |
| Discharged | 30.05.1918 Services no longer required |
Materials
Naturalisation (NAA) (Zavodtchikoff)
Digitised service records 1 2 3 (NAA) (Zavodhkow, Zavodtchikoff, Zavodchikoff)
Investigation Branch file 1 2 (NAA) (Zavodtchikoff)
Blog article
From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:
Many Russians received their baptism into Australianness through army mateship. This was an Australianness that was in no way solemn but involved things like sharing a drink with mates, playing two-up, giving lip to an NCO -- the sort of thing that often shows up as misconduct in the Russians' service records. For instance, young William Zavodtchikoff, a Siberian Jew, after spending several months in a Queensland depot as a sentry allowed a prisoner, an Australian, to escape from the guardroom. On being detained himself, Zavodtchikoff said to the sergeant of the guard: 'You have put that man in for nothing. Put me in too.' No private in the Russian army, let alone a Jewish private, would ever dare say anything like that.