Franz Toews served at the Neu Berdyansk forestry camp from 1901-1904. He also served in the medical service (Sanitaetsdienst) from 1914-1918. Later he lived in the Terek Mennonite settlement. In 1972 he was in an old's folks home in Yarrow, B.C.
This photo shows (l-r): Johann Heidebrecht (Nikolaidorf), assistant forester Carl Prokopenko (?), Jacob Boschmann (Petershagen), Johann Janzen lying down, Franz Toews on his knees (Alexanderkrone), Gerhard Warkentin (Ebenfeld) and Starzky Dietrich Friesen. On a rabbit hunt they would also shoot ducks and other birds, besides rabbits.
This photo shows a group of 20 men posing at a tree in front of a stone wall. Some men are reclining on the ground, some are standing or sitting around the base of the tree, and others are situated on various branches higher up the tree. Each forestry camp had a farm where it grew its own food (fruit, vegetables, meat, etc.).
This photo shows (l-r): ? Enns, ? Mandtler, Nicolai Rempel, Gerhard G. Dueck, Abram Lepp , anther Gerhard Dueck, and Peter Isaac, ready to ride their bicycles on a path.
This photo shows a man from the forestry service standing in front of a blossoming fruit tree. The accompanying sound recording refers to him as our "Springsteiner Starshiy, initiator of these reunions". [=living in Springstein, Manitoba in 1972 and ranked as a senior officer] ?____ Dueck or Dyck.
This photo shows (l-r): G.G. Dueck (later of Springstein, Manitoba), Gerhard Dueck (Neuenburg), Jacob Janzen, Nicolai Rempel, and another Jacob Janzen.
This photo shows brother Abram and Heinrich Neufeld who served their entire service period during World War I as medical worker on train number 180 (Zug 180). They emigrated from the Molotschna Colony in the 1920s.
This photo shows about 25 men wearing long winter coats lined up, in front of the barracks, where another small group of men are seated under an entrance canopy.
This photo shows a group of 12 men. Row 1: person third is a Neufeld from Petershagen. Row 2: person second from the right could be a Rogalski (later of Glenlea, Manitoba)