Paul Ephraim Zundolovich

Alias Ephrem     Russian spelling Павел Ефремович Зандолович (Зундолович?)

Born 15.05.1865     Place Maished, Telshiai, Kaunas, Lithuania     Ethnic origin Jewish     Religion Roman Catholic

Residence before arrival at Australia received theological education

Arrived at Australia

            from      on 11.1894     per Oceana     disembarked at Melbourne

Residence before enlistment 1898 Wilcannia, 1916 Hay, NSW

Occupation Roman Catholic priest

Service

service number Chaplain Captain     enlisted 1.12.1916     POE NSW

unit  Battalion       rank Chaplain Captain

place trip on military transports to England and back, 1916-1917

final fate RTA 17.03.1917      discharged 15.05.1917

Naturalisation 1898

Residence after the war Moama, NSW

Died 7.05.1935, Moama, NSW

Materials digitised service records (NAA)

‘Faith and river red gums live on in Moama’s new church’, Catholic Weekly, 11 October 1999.

Fr. Tom Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, vol. 1. Vol.1-2, Armadale, Vic., [1979]

From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:

Another outback story, but with a twist, was that of Father Paul Ephraim Zundolovich, a Roman Catholic priest whose name and birthplace (near Telshiai, now Lithuania) strongly suggest his origin was Jewish. He came to Australia late in the 19th century and travelled on horseback through remote outback areas, preaching among pioneers and Aborigines, carrying with him a suitcase which has ended up on display in Moama parish church, in the Riverina, where ultimately he spent 19 years as parish priest. The case ‘contained a small portable altar, a chalice which screwed into a leather case, cruets, and ciborium’. An iron poker also in the case was ‘an implement’ believed to have been ‘used to stoke camp fires when he was on the road’. During the war he accompanied Australian troops to England as a chaplain.

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