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Native American Veteran and Canadian aboriginal veteran List.
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siberia

1918 - 1922

 

Ww1

37 engaged

1 Deaths in service

 

After the October Revolution of 1917, the new Bolshevik government signed a separate peace with Germany. The fall of the Russian front presented a huge problem for the Entente powers as it allowed Germany to transport troops and equipment from the Eastern Front to the Western Front, but also required the Allies to secure their large stockpiles of materiel accumulated in the West. Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, and Vladivostok, which might fall into the hands of the Bolsheviks. In addition, 50,000 men from the Czech Legion, who fought alongside the Allies, were now behind enemy lines, trying to make their way eastward to Vladivostok along the Bolshevik-controlled Trans-Siberian Railroad.

Faced with these concerns, Britain and France decided to intervene militarily in the Russian civil war against the Bolshevik government. They hoped to achieve three goals:

  1. To prevent Russian stockpiles of Allied materiel from falling into Bolshevik or German hands.
  2. Help the Czech Legion and bring it back to the European front.
  3. Resurrect the Eastern Front by installing the white armies in power in Russia.

The British and the French, desperately short of troops, asked for help from the United States for intervention in northern Russia and intervention in Siberia.

In all 7,950 Americans and 4,192 Canadians served in Siberia. Of this number, we can count on at least 37 Native Americans.

Private Keshick George, Chippewa served in the 339th Infantry. After a quick training in England, he was sent to Russia to keep a railroad, but fell quickly sick and did not know the fighting.

Private St Martin Joseph, Chippewa and Corporal Smith William R, Assiniboine, were also sent to Russia without fighting.

The case of Keshick Peter E, Potawatomi is a little different since he was wounded twice during his service in Russia before being demobilized in July 1919.

Duncan Thomas G, Nomalakie from California was also sent to Siberia. Returning to the United States in July 1919, he remained at Letterman Hospital in California where he died on July 23, 1919 at the age of 20. The cause of his death is unknown, his body was repatriated to the reserve cemetery.