BORIVOJE PETKOVIC

Story

My father Borivije Petkovic was born on the 30-4-1911 in Mali Izvor near the town of Zajecar in Serbia. His parents were Petar and Mileva. He also had a sister Desanka and a brother Stanimir. He attended the military academy in Belgrade, graduated as an officer and was a captain in the Kings Army of Serbia.

During the Second World War when the Germans occupied Serbia, he was captured and held prisoner

of war for 4 years. After the war, he never returned to his fatherland because of the regime.

Along with many other migrants he decided to set sail for a new home in Australia. He travelled by ship from Italy and arrived in Sydney where he spent a few years. Later he moved to Canberra and took up permanent residency. He never returned home and therefore spent the rest of his life in Australia.

My mother came to Australia in 1956 with my older brother Peter who was from her first marriage.

She has an older sister too. My mother and father met later and married in Canberra. I was born in 1957.

The Serbs of Canberra formed and ran the first Serbian sports football club BALKAN of which my father

was President. He worked as a public servant. When the Serbian Orthodox Church Community in Canberra was founded he was President. He was very active and helped many Serbian people in and around Canberra and was liked and well respected by everyone that knew him. He done a lot for the Serbian community.

In 1960 when KING PETER II of Serbia visited Australia and came to Canberra he was President

of the welcoming committee.

My father was a great man and his work and service for the Serbian community will always be remembered.He passed away peacefully in his sleep in 1980.

God bless his soul.

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