The AIF Project

Karl Johannes PUIKKO

Regimental number2483
Date of birth18 September 1891
Place of birthBrahestad, Finland
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationSailor
AddressMelbourne, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation24
Height5' 2"
Weight120 lbs
Next of kinFather, John Puikko, Brahestad, Finland
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date25 April 1916
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll27 April 1916
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name46th Battalion, 5th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/63/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A15 Port Sydney on 7 September 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll4th Machine Gun Battalion
FateReturned to Australia 8 November 1918
Discharge date29 January 1919
Other details

War service: embarked Melbourne, 6 September 1916. Marched in to 12th Training Bn, Codford, England, 16 November 1916. Proceeded overseas to France, 4 December 1916.

Found guilty, 17 December 1916, of being out of bounds contrary to orders: forfeited 5 days' pay. Taken on strength, 46th Bn, 29 December 1916. Detached to 12th Machine Gun Company, 22 March 1917. Admitted to 39th General Hospital, Etaples, 7 June 1917; discharged to Base Details, 19 June 1917; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 19 days.

Transferred to 12th Machine Gun Company, 29 June 1917.

Wounded in action, 24 September 1917 (gas poisoning); admitted to 16th General Hospital, Le Treport, 26 September 1917; transferred to England, 5 October 1917, and admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital, Edgbaston, 7 October 1917 (gas poisoning: severe); to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 24 October 1917; discharged to No. 3 Command Depot, Weymouth, 14 November 1917. Marched out to Overseas Training Brigade, 23 February 1917. Admitted to Military Hospital, Grantham, 19 April 1918; discharged to Training Depot, 1 June 1918. Admitted to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 23 July 1918, whilst on leave; discharged to No. 3 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 9 August 1918; marched out to No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, 9 September 1918. Found guilty, 27 September 1918, of neglecting to obey orders in that he was found in Weymouth without a pass: awarded 4 days' confined to barracks.

Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Gurka', 8 November 1918, for discharge (chronic bronchitis); disembarked Melbourne, 29 December 1918; discharged, 29 January 1919.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Puikko wrote to the Registrar, Metal Depot [sic], 15 July 1923, asking that his Victory Medal be forwarded to his new address: Fresen Katu 5, Wiborg, Finland. The letter was subsequently annotated: 'Medal returned unclaimed, 15 January 1924.'

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