Hjalmar Karhu

Born 22.01.1891    Place Wyborg, Finland (now Russia) (service records) or Trangsund, Uleaborg (Oulu), Finland (naturalisation)

Ethnic origin Finn     Religion Church of England

Father Karhu, Gabriel

Residence before arrival at Australia was seaman for 8 years

Arrived at Australia

            from Brazil    on 07.1915      per Aleyan       disembarked at Fremantle, WA

Residence before enlistment Perth

Occupation 1915 seaman, 1921 boot maker

Service

service number 4638   enlisted 4.11.1915 POE Perth

unit 16th Battalion, 48th Battalion   rank Private

place Western Front, 1916-1917      casualties WIA 1916, 1917, POW 1917

final fate RTA 13.12.1918       discharged 1.08.1919

Naturalisation 1921

Residence after the war 1921 Swanbourne, WA

Wife Lily Violet Karhu (née Warwick), married 1918

Died 29.04.1973

Materials digitised naturalisation (NAA)

alien registration file (NAA)

digitised service records (NAA)

statement as prisoner of war (AWM)

Red Cross POW file (AWM)

digitised Red Cross wounded and missing file (AWM)

Investigation Branch file (NAA)

From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:

Hjalmar Karhu, a Finnish former seaman from Western Australia, gave his account of what he called ‘the first “stunt” at Bullecourt’ [1917], in which he was wounded as he tried to retreat. ‘We reached the second line of enemy trenches. “Fritz” counter-attacked us and our bombs ran short. Our chaps were retreating, and I tried to get back to our lines.’ The wounded Karhu was captured by the Germans. Another four Russians were also captured on the same day: three other Finns — Matti Harsila, Konrat Troyle and Frans Fredrikson — and Charles Reppe, from Riga, who was one of the first Russians to enlist.

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