Dressed to impress

Displaced Persons going through Bonegilla Migrant Camp upon entry to Australia would receive items of clothing. The list below is for my great aunt and uncle and shows the different items for males and females.

Albinas
Boots (1)
Shoes
Sox (2)
Underpants (2)
Singlet (2)
Handkerchiefs (2)
Pyjamas (1)
Hats (1)
Braces (1)
Ties (1)
Trousers (1)
Coats (1)
Shirts (1)
Pullovers (1)

Ruta
Shoes (1)
Stockings (1)
Anklets (2)
Pantettes
Singlet (1)
Blouses
Skirts(1)
Handkerchiefs
Nightdresses (1)
Pyjamas
Corsets (1)
Brassieres (1)
Overalls (1)
Hats (1)
Cardigans (1)
Raincoats (1)

The General Heintzelman

The General Stuart Heintzelman was the first ship that carried Displaced Persons from war torn Europe to settle in Australia.

The first transport brought 843 refugees to Australia, 729 males, 114 females, 142 Estonians, 262 Latvians and 439 Lithuanians. Below are some of the Lithuanians from that transport who settled in South Australia.

PUŠLYS
SMILGEVIČIUS
BIMBA
GUSTAINIS
BALSEVIČIUS
DONIĖLA
KAMISKAS
BRAZAUSKAS
JAKIMAVIČIUS
MAČUKAS
ŽVINKLYS
VALIŪLIS
ANTANAITIS
VALENČIUS
STAUGAS
DZIAUGYS
JUŽELENAS
SAMULIS
ČAPLIKAS
JANONIS
BAKŠYS
NORKELIŪNAS
KALIKAS
JUČIUS
ŠALYTĖ
JUODKA
BULKĖ
BLIUKYS
ZAJARSKAS
UZPULEVIČIUS
AKUMBAKAS
MAZILIAUSKAS
VIDURGIRIS
GRICIUS
NAVICKAS
GUOBA
BIELSKIS
DEIMANTAS
VALTERIS
KALENDRA

Link to the complete list of passengers aboard the first transport and more information about the first transport can be found on the Fifth Fleet website. www.fifthfleet.net

Budek! Scouts in SA

Scouting groups quickly formed in the DP camps, beginning on 25th July 945 in Detmolde, in the British zone. The Academic scouts formed in 1946 in Augsburg.
Scouts worked enthusiastically as they believed that on returning to a free Lithuania they would be able to use the scout ideals of honouring God, Freedom for your country and betterment of people.

Not disheartened by the fact that many would not return home, the scouts instead saw immigration as an opportunity to spread the word globally on the Lithuania’s occupation.

The first Lithuanian scouts to come to Australia had already organised themselves on the ship from Europe. Borisas Dainutis organised the scouts aboard the ship the General Heintzelman.

The scouts were organised into 6 groups.

At the beginning of 1949 the troops were reorganised by location into 6 troops.

IV Troop Adelaide

1. VITKŪNAS Alfredas
2. GRIGONIS Algimantas
3. ŽURAUSKAS Tadas
4. DAINIUS Vytautas
5. GALINIS Vytautas
6. VITKŪNAS Bronius
7. ČIZAUSKAS Juozas
8. SKIDZEVIČIUS M? only V or N
9. JANULEVIČIUS Gediminas

V Troop – Leigh Creek

1. DONIELA Vytautas
2. BRENEIŽERIS Vytautas
3. DUNDA Algimantas
4. KARMAŽINAS Leonas
5. GARBALIAUSKAS Leonardas
6. NAVAKAS A
7. NAVAKAS Vaclovas or Vytautas

VI Troop – Port Lincoln

1. NEVERAUSKAS Vytas
2. KAMINSKAS Benedictas
3. NEVERAUSKAS Jonas
4. RUDZINSKAS Jonas
5. BALANDIS Leonas
6. JARUSEVIČIUS Jonas
7. GURTAJUS Algirdas

They made a film about him!

In 1970, Lithuanian Simas Kudirka sought asylum from the Soviets by jumping onto an US Coast Guard ship. He was a radio operator on a Russian fishing boat. His defection failed and he was sentenced to ten years in a Soviet gulag. As it turned out his mother was actually born in the US, but the family moved back to Lithuania. Because of this four years later, in 1974, Simas and his wife and two children were granted US citizenship. Simas became a spokesperson for a free Lithuania.

In June 1980 he was a guest of the Lithuanian community in Australia. On his visit to Adelaide, he took part in the annual mass deportation commemorations, by laying a wreath at the War Memorial on North Terrace.

His story was made into a film The defection of Simas Kudirka, staring Alan Arkin as Simas.

I can remember being at the War Memorial that day, the first 'real' Lithuanian I had seen.

Latvian little birds of God

I have recently come across a beautifully produced website on Latvian Displaced Persons and life in the camps. Dieva Putnini which translates to Little birds of God's has an English, Latvian and German translation. Most of the site is in Latvia. It looks at life in the camps, and migration around the world. It features some fantastic photographs as well. As the Lithuanian story is so similar to the Latvian one, this may be of interest if you are wanting to know more.

www.dpalbums.lv