Hjalmar Karhu
Born in Wiborg, Finland, in 1891, Hjalmar Karhu worked as a merchant seaman for eight years before arriving in Western Australia in July 1915. In November that year, Hjalmar travelled to Perth, where he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Aged 25, he was among approximately 1,000 men of Russian origin who served for Australia in the First World War.
After a period of training at Blackboy Hill, Hjalmar left Fremantle in February 1916 with a reinforcement group for the 16th Battalion, but was transferred to the newly raised 48th Battalion soon after arriving in Egypt.
The 48th Battalion was sent to France, experiencing its first major action at Pozières from July to August 1916. Hjalmar suffered a gunshot wound in the back, and was sent to England for medical treatment. He did not return to his battalion until February 1917.
In April, Hjalmar's battalion fought at Bullecourt. During this battle, some Australians had managed to reach the second line of enemy trenches before the Germans counter-attacked. The Australians in the second line began to retreat as their own bombs were running short. Hjalmar received a gunshot wound to his right leg, and was one of almost 1,200 Australians captured by the Germans during the disastrous battle, including four other Australian soldiers of Russian ancestry.
Hjalmar was officially listed as missing in action. The AIF received a postcard from him dated 1 May 1917, stating that he was a prisoner of war at Verden in Germany. Here, he had his right leg amputated due to the wounds received in action. Hjalmar was later transferred to another camp at Soltau. Hjalmar recalled living off the food sent to the prisoners in Red Cross parcels while at Soltau, as the “German tucker” was terrible.
Australian Red Cross Society workers packing food parcels for Australian Prisoners of War, c. 1914 – 1918.
In January 1918 Hjalmar was released and sent to England owing to the nature of his wounds. During his time there he met Lily Violet Warwick, and they married in London later that year. Hjalmar was not sent back to fight, but remained with the army in London before commencing the journey home to Australia with Lily in December 1918.
After discharging from the AIF, Hjalmar was naturalised as an Australian citizen. His naturalisation records stated that he “desires to make Australia his home and have full citizenship rights”. The reporting officer commented that that Hjalmar was of very good character, and would make a desirable citizen.
Hjalmar and Lily remained in Perth, with Hjalmar working as a boot-maker, a skill he had acquired under the repatriation scheme. They had a son, Arthur John Karhu, who served in the AIF during the Second World War.