Jack Puss

Born 1878     Place Arensburg (Kuressaare), Oesel (Saaremaa), Estonia     Ethnic origin Estonian     Religion Protestant & Unitarian

Father Puss, Arthur     Mother -

Residence before arrival at Australia has been working on German ships for 3 years

Arrived at Australia -

Residence before enlistment Wallaroo, SA

Occupation carpenter

Service

service number 1557     enlisted 14.07.1915     POE Keswick, SA

unit 32nd Battalion       rank Private

place Western Front, 1916-1917

final fate RTA 21.07.1917       discharged 2.10.1917 ‘services no longer required’ (suspicion of pro-Germanism)

Naturalisation served as Russian subject

Materials digitised service records (NAA)

From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:

Jack Puss, an Estonian, [...] a carpenter in civilian life, he had been fighting on the Western Front for nearly a year when one day he was heard to say, ‘I think I would get better treatment if I went over to Fritz and held my hands up’. Another reason he came under suspicion was that he could speak German; he had previously worked for several years on German ships. He was immediately discharged without trial and considered ineligible for medals. After his discharge he completely disappears from Australian archival records; probably, he left Australia and did not care about getting any medals.

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