Algimantas Plūkas

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Algimantas Plūkas was born on New Year’s Day 1922 in Kupiškis. He is the son of Ignas and Julija Aleknaite.  He attended primary school in Kupiškis from, 1936-1942. studied at Kupiškis gymnasium.  In the summer of 1944, he left Lithuania for Germany, he had been studying electronics and residing in Vilnius before he left.  He had hoped to migrate to Cleveland. On 30 October 1949 emigrated to Australia on the Nelly and settled in Sydney.

He worked in a private company as a silversmith. His work is held by the Australian Officers' Association in Sydney (miniature cannon valued at about $4,000), Cardinal Gilroy of Sydney (several).

He devoted a lot of energy, time, financial resources and energy to Lithuanian affairs, he was a accordion player, conductor, instrumentalist, painter and decorator.  He carved wood, worked in metal.  He led the Sydney Lithuanian choir, Dainava from 1955 to 1957.  From 1960 to 1963 he led a double quartet, Rožytes, a double trio, the Merry Brothers. He wrote songs for scouts and guided groups. He illustrated Ava Saudargienė's book Sigutė (1968). He created a national dancing group called Plūktetas.

Algis joined the scouts in 1932 and gained his senior scout level in 1943. In Australia, he was a long-time member of the Sydney Lithuanian scout troop, Aušra and scouter leader. In 1952 he completed the Australian Scout Leaders Course, receiving the rank of Scoutmaster.  He participated in the 1938 national scout camp in Panemunė, Lithuania and led the Lithuanian scouts in the 1952-1953 Pan-Pacific Jamboree at Greystanes, NSW and almost every Aušra camp and district camp while in Australia.  Algis was an irreplaceable camp cook, musician and artist.  Camp songs composed by him are still sung today. For several years he illustrated the scout journal Pėdsekis.

He has been awarded the badge of the Tėvynės Sūnaus žymeniu Son of the Fatherland and the ordinu Už Nuopelnus Order of Merit for her services to scouting.

     Algis passed away on 11 June 1976 in Sydney. He has been interned in the Lithuanian section of Rookwood cemetery, Sydney. 

A notebookof his remains with his sketches and meal menus from scout camps in the 1950's.

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