Remembering ‘Yogi’ One Year On

It has been twelve months since the Burdekin lost another legend. On the 6th May, 2023 Laszlo (Leslie) Voros, better known to his old mates from Inkerman Sugar Mill where he worked as an electrician for forty years as "Yogi", passed away leaving behind his wife of 60 years Andrea, daughter Amanda (Hall) and son Steven who resides in the UK.
Les was born in Budapest, Hungary on 13th February 1938, a year before the start of World War Two. His father, a baker who later became an officer in the Hungarian Army, was killed during the war when Les was quite young and his mother remarried. Upon leaving school at the age of 16, he studied for his electrical apprenticeship under the guidance of his stepfather.
On 23rd October 1956, Russian tanks invaded his native Budapest. Many Hungarians revolted against their own pro-communist Government and the presence of Russian troops in Hungary. Les fought with the partisans as a Freedom Fighter (also known as "The Boys of 'Pest), pelting the tanks with Molotov cocktails, setting them alight and survived three days buried beneath a building which had been demolished in the fighting. In an effort to curb the uprising, authorities imposed a curfew - anyone found out on the streets after 6pm could be shot on sight. Les and a few other Freedom Fighter lads broke curfew, were caught and thrown into a temporary prison - his old school. Having an intimate knowledge of the layout of the school building, Les escaped and after a three day hike, arrived at the Austrian border. From here, he travelled to Italy and secured a job as a deckhand on a ship bound for Australia. The threat of being shot if caught or the alternative of spending twenty years in a salt mine in Siberia, was enough to hasten his departure from Hungary. This meant he never had the chance to say goodbye to his mother, whom he never saw again.  
Upon landing in Bonegilla Victoria in 1957, he was interred at the Bonegilla Migrant Camp for a period of time before finally travelling around Australia, playing soccer and wrestling earning a living as a drummer in various bands. Les eventually made his way to Home Hill where he met Andrea (nee Camer), started his family and made a new life for himself far away from the reaches of tyranny and oppression. He was a proud grandfather of five; Lachlan, Jacob, Connor and Meggan Hall and Arianna Voros.  
By whichever name he was known; Les, Yogi, Bear, Mr 'V', Dad, Papa, Shamuck, Grandad, he was a true character with a wicked sense of humour. Les was a regular at Dal Santo's Deli, The Farmhouse Cafe (then known as The Coffee Club) and the RSL. He loved to socialise and took great joy in his family and friends. He is so very missed every day but his memory lives on in the many stories still told. Rest in Peace Yogi. Szeretlek Papa.
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Contributed by Amanda Hall

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