Monument for the first commander of Joniškėlis battalion Antanas Stapulionis in Joniškėlis

A tombstone for Antanas Stapulionis, first commander of Joniškėlis battalion, colonel, lieutenant, volunteer, chevalier of the Cross of Vytis stands in Joniškėlis town. A. Stapulionis (1893–1978) was born in the village of Gustoniai, Joniškėlis district, Biržai county. He studied at Joniškėlis Agriculture School and Kaunas Saulė Seminary For Teachers. When the First World War started he was conscripted and sent to Irkutsk Military School which he graduated from in 1915, December. He fought in front lines in Daugpilis, Romania, Austria. After the war, he returned to Lithuania and since November 23, 1918 had joined a secret Joniškėlis dissidents organisation where on 5 April 1919 he was appointed the head of the office and on 14 May 1919 – commander of Joniškėlis battalion. He served in Lithuanian Army until 1940 as an assistant commander for regiments 3,6 and 7, and as a military commander in 1927 in Tauragė and since 1930 in Ukmergė and Panevėžys. For his achievements in freedom fights he was awarded the Cross of Vytis. In 1944 he left Lithuania and in 1949 arrived in the USA. He died in Boston, but his remains were reburried in Joniškėlis on 27 May 1995. The author of tombstone is architect Vytautas Brėdikis.