William 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)

Personal case file, World War I 1 2 (NAA)

Blog article

Russian

English

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.

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