Jan Heinrich Fuks

Alias John Henry Fuks (naturalisation)   Estonian spelling Johannes Henrich Fuchs*

Born 22.04.1886     Place Derpt (Dorpat) (Tartu), Estonia   Ethnic origin Estonian     Religion Lutheran

Father David Fuchs      Mother Lissa Fuchs

Residence before arrival at Australia served in the Russian army for 20 months, invalided in Russo-Japanese War

Arrived at Australia

            from Antwerp    on 9.05.1913    per Duisburg   disembarked at Melbourne

Residence before enlistment Melbourne, Sydney

Occupation 1916 seaman, 1917 engineer and fitter, tattoo; 1919 fitter; after the war worked on the Coastal steamer SS Fitzroy , 1920 farmer*

Service

service number 5775   enlisted 17.12.1917   POE Sydney

unit 1st Pioneer Battalion   rank Private

place England, 1918-1919

final fate RTA 6.09.1919       discharged 6.12.1919

Naturalisation 1920

Family wife Kathleen Bride Fuks (née Collins), married 1919 in England, returned to Australia with wife and child. Children: John David; Linda Anna; Jean Marion; Margaret Mary; Elizabeth Ann; Kathleen Julia*

Residence after the war Sydney, Prospect, in 1920 he purchased farm 1622 Yenda, near Griffith NSW as part of the solider settlement scheme. He lived there until retired and moved into Griffith*

Died 14.04.1968, Griffith, NSW*

* information from granddaughter Robyn Crick

Materials digitised naturalisation (NAA)

digitised service records (NAA)

digitised application for admission relatives and friends (NAA)

From Robyn Crick's letter:

During his time in England whilst at the Southhall military hospital as a ward man, his main duties were as an interpreter. He was well educated and could speak and read English, Russian and German as well as Estonian. He helped with the basic questioning of any POWs. He refused to have anything to do with the torture of POWs. He read all non-English papers on the POWs and removed and translated the important documents POWs had. He also wrote letters for the POWs to be sent back to their families when he could. This is what my Grandmother told me, I am sure it is correct. When a group of POWs arrived at the Hospital a German Captain? (not sure of the rank), asked Pop for help and handed him a Lugar gun, saying he would be shot if he was caught with it, Pop took the gun and hid for him, he kept the gun and it is now in Narrandera museum. He had such strong Christian beliefs in loving your enemy, he was willing to put himself at risk to save a stranger.

Back to home if you do not see frames