Adolf Saarijarvi M.M. (SAA1411)

Basic Information

Unique reference:

SAA1411

Gender:

Male

Birth

Date of birth:

1873

Place of birth:

Orivesi, Finland

Death

Date of death:

22 Heshvan 5679 (28 October 1918)

Died in combat?:

Place of death:

London

Cause of death:

Influenza

Burial place:

Brookwood Military Cemetery

1 of 2
Headstone in Brookwood
2 of 2
Photo from the Queenslander Pictorial
supplement to The Queenslander, 30 September 1916, p. 26

Places

Addresses

His home:

7 Cambridge Terrace Mews, Regents Park (1918)

Military Medal Recommendation, 06 April 1918

Private Saarijarvi was one of the Pioneer working party under Lieut. Reid on 5/4/1918. The severe enemy attack on that date, Pte Saarijarvi displayed great courage and presence of mind, he continuously placed himself in position from with effective fire could be made from his rifle and passed messages to Lieut Reid and those about him so that men in the vicinity could be used to the best advantage during the attack. He was on post all the time and proved valuable assistance to both Lieut. Reid and the party.

From Russian Anzacs in Australian History (Elena Gover 2005)

Adolf Saarijarvi, a Finnish selector from Chinchilla, Queensland, was in a 4th Pioneer Battalion working-party in this battle [Villers-Bretonneux, 1918] and it was one of those occasions when pioneers had to take up their rifles and fight. Saarijarvi 'displayed great courage and presence of mind', his commanding officer wrote; 'he continuously placed himself in position from which effective fire could be made from his rifle and passed messages to Lieut Reid and those about him so that men in the vicinity could be used to the best advantage'. His actions on this day won Saarijarvi a Military Medal but he did not live to see victory: wounded in August 1918 in the advance on Amiens, he died from influenza in October 1918 in England, with his Finnish wife at his side -- they had married just a month before his death.

Military Record

Military service:

Australian Imperial Forces

Military record no.:

2709A

Date enlisted/conscripted:

29 March 1916

Date discharged/death:

28 October 1918

Rank at discharge/death:

Private

Assignments

Regiment:

Australian Pioneers

Battalion/unit:

4th Battalion

Australian Imperial Forces Registration

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