Who Are They?
These photographs were taken on board the Asturias in November 1948, by Pat Piggott. His wife Irene (Rene) and son Michael are pictured with other passengers. If you can identify them, please let us know.
In 1946 Australia signed an agreement to provide free assisted passages to British ex-servicemen and other selected British Migrants. This was later extended to ex-servicemen from other countries, including Poland. 3,800 Displaced Persons were included in the thousands of migrants who came to Australia.
Many came on a two year contract to help labour shortages. Regardless of their professional skills, they were sent to work on various Hydro-electric schemes including the Snowy Mountains Scheme in NSW and the Hydro Electricity Scheme in Tasmania.
Many came on a two year contract to help labour shortages. Regardless of their professional skills, they were sent to work on various Hydro-electric schemes including the Snowy Mountains Scheme in NSW and the Hydro Electricity Scheme in Tasmania.
The SS Asturias passenger list for September 1947 shows "278 Polish Soldiers" - Address C/- Tasmanian Hydro-Electricity Commission". Farmers, locksmiths, painters .....soldiers from the Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade ("Rats of Tobruk"), they had served with Allied Forces in North Africa.
The soldiers arrived in uniform and were sent to Butler's Gorge, Tasmania where they lived in purpose-built camps.
The soldiers arrived in uniform and were sent to Butler's Gorge, Tasmania where they lived in purpose-built camps.
Source: Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston,
Tasmania www.qvmag.tas.gov.au (Go to: Education/downloads/
Migration and
Tasmania Education Kit)
| By Voyage Date | or | By Surname |
| September 1947 | ADA - KIC | |
| December 1947 | KIE - PUZ | |
| August 1948 | RAC - ZYL | |
| November 1948 |
This group of Polish soldiers arrived in uniform on 8 August 1948. They had fought alongside the British Army and could not
return to Communist-controlled Poland. Poles were the first large non-British group of immigrants to come to Australia after
World War II. Seven hundred and ninety-eight arrived in Tasmania in 1947-8 (591 on the Asturias). Photo reproduced with
the permission of: Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston, Tasmania www.qvmag.tas.gov.au (Go to: Education/downloads/
Migration and Tasmania Education Kit)
.jpeg)
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List of Polish Army Personnel - ex Southampton 26th October 1948 (arr Australia Nov 48)
[Supplied courtesy of Mr David Donald,
UK. Source: National Archives London]
Polish immigants from the Asturias, near Butler's Gorge, Tasmania, shortly after their arrival in Australia. Image courtesy
of Mr Metiek Drelich, Tas [Click on image to enlarge]
Polish and Australian soldiers, World War II. Image courtesy of Mr Metiek Drelich, Tas.
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Army Chaplain's Poems
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Ship's Voyage Logs
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Statistics about the Ship
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