Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

World War 1, England, MARGOLIN, 16 Battalion, 1918

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1918

Subcollections

"Treasured" - World War 1 Photo Portraits - Identified

Overview

Portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Eliazar Lazar Margolin Distinguished Service Order

Historical information

Eliazar Lazar Margolin of Collie, Western Australia was enrolled as a Captain in 16th Battalion on 18 September 1914 based on his 3 years commissioned service with 86th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces. He recorded his next of kin as his brother Moses Margolin in Petrograd, Russia. He embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A40 Ceramic on 22 December 1914, He was wounded at Gallipoli and evacuated in May 1915 to be promoted and returned to duty in November.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-P1980.342.1a

Item type

Photographs

Themes

War and Conflict
War and Conflict > World War 1

Contextual Information

On the Western Front he was appointed to command of 14th Bn, Belgium, and promoted Lt Colonel, 8 June 1917. He relinquished Command of 14th Bn, and transferred to 16th Bn, 1 September 1917. Soon after he was admitted to hospital with a knee injury and in December 1917 a Medical Board determined that he was unfit for 'service in the firing line'.

He wrote to AIF Headquarters, London, 13 December 1917, asking to be posted for service abroad rather than in England, on the grounds that '(a) I am a native of Russia, and both speak and write Russian with fluency; (b) I have lived for about ten years in Palestine, and am well acquainted with the country in which our troops are fighting and know intimately the language, habits, and customs of the inhabitants.' GOC AIF rejected his request, 27 December 1917.

The War Office enquired of AIF HQ, March 1918, whether Margolin's services could be obtained to command the 42nd Bn, Royal Fusiliers, Plymouth: 'This Battalion is the reserve battalion for the 38th and 39th Battalions Royal Fusiliers which are composed of men of the Jewish faith. It is considered essential that an Officer of the Jewish faith should command each of these Battalions ... ' War Office was advised, 14 March 1918, that 'approval is given for the resignation of ... [Margolin's] Commission in the Australian Imperial Force to enable him to accept the Command of the 42nd (Reserve) Battalion Royal Fusiliers. He was discharged from the AIF, 18 March 1918.

After commanding the 42nd (Reserve) Battalion Royal Fusiliers he commanded the 39th Battalion; and in 1921 the 38th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (1st Judeans), Ludd, Palestine. He returned from Palestine in 1921 and died in Perth on 2 June 1944.

https://russiananzacs.net/Margolin
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/margolin-eliezer-lazar-7484
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10680715
https://regimental-books.com.au/product/an-anzac-zionist-hero-the-life-of-lt-colonel-eliazar-margolin/
https://www.ajhs.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Joel-Mierowsky-Carmel-2016-Eliezer-Margolin.pdf
https://anzacheroes.com.au/anzac_heroes/margolin-eliazar-lazar/

Year

1918

Geotag

-33.357453870809, 116.15353092941

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Links to additional resources

AIF Project

Service Summary

National Archives Australia

Service Records

Distinguished Service Order

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia