Cezar Wolkowsky

Russian spelling Цезарь Иванович Волковский

Born 19.04.1894     Place Lipki, Khodorkov, Skvira, Kiev, Ukraine     Ethnic/cultural origin Pole/Russian     Religion Roman Catholic

Father Wolkowsky, Ivan     Mother Wolkowsky, Kornelia

Brother Theofil Volkofsky

Residence before arrival at Australia studied in a Military school in Russia for 3 years

Arrived at Australia

            from Russia     on 1.08.1914     per Berrima     disembarked at Sydney

Residence before enlistment Dubbo, Sydney

Occupation 1915 labourer; 1921 tram conductor

Service

service number 1783     enlisted 26.05.1915     POE Liverpool, NSW

unit 19th Battalion       rank Private

place Gallipoli, 1915       casualties WIA 1915

final fate RTA 11.04.1916      discharged 24.12.1916 MU

Naturalisation 1923

Residence after the war Sydney

Family wife Gwipmyth Rhodee Wolkowsky; daughters Maria and Sonia

Died

Materials naturalisation (NAA)

digitised service records (NAA)

alien registration (NAA)

From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:

Cezar Wolkowsky [...] was considered ‘to be of Bolshevik tendencies’ because he ‘contributed articles to papers of that type, advocating Bolshevik principles’. On the Investigation branch’s recommendation, his naturalisation was rejected several times, which meant that he would lose his block of land (non-naturalised persons could not own land). But what worried him even more was that this decision had turned his Australian wife and their newborn daughter into alien subjects as well. Finally, he appealed to Senator Pearce, minister for Home and Territories: ‘My military record is good and I am married to an Australian girl. I left for Gallipoli in 1915 willing to lay down my life, if needs be for the British Empire. I was very badly wounded in shoulder and was in receipt of pension for some considerable time. I was not refused permission to fight for the Empire and think now I should at least be allowed the privilege of living as an Australian with British Freedom.’ Suspecting what had caused his rejection, he went on: ‘During the Russian Chaos I being young and ignorant, was influenced by older Russians and was naturally at first in sympathy with the Bolsheviks, until I began to read and think for myself … I then saw the mistake I had made and repented my folly in thinking the Bolsheviks good, and I assure you there are no more loyal subjects than my wife and I today.’ It was this repentance, not his military service, that helped: those words in his letter were underlined by an official. Wolkowsky was finally granted naturalisation in 1923.

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