Harry Wolper was born in 1920 in Brest Litovsk, Poland. He initially enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force in March 1942, giving his occupation as mechanic or engineer and his religion as Jewish. There is an unexplained hiatus in his records, as he was not taken on strength until April 1945. His records were also amended in 1943 to update his single status to married. He was posted to a training battalion and in October 1945 he was released from service on unknown ‘compassionate grounds’.
The Great Synagogue, Brest Litovsk, c1926
There's more to this story:
Gustaf Eric Bloom
Gustaf Bloom was born in Saltvik, Aland, Finland in 1897. He was living in Newcastle, New South Wales and working as a bricklayer’s labourer when he enlisted for the First World War in 1916.
Erik Reinhold Katajisto (aka Kay)
Erik Katajisto, a seaman from Abo in Finland, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces in 1916, after deserting his ship in Melbourne in 1914.
Updated