NAME Joseph Patrick NEAYLON
BORN C1896
DIED 1972
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 1353
UNIT 30th Battalion
ENLISTED Liverpool – 8 Nov 1915
DISCHARGED Sydney – 8 December 1917 – medically unfit

Joseph Patrick Neaylon took up a holding with his brother Thomas – Farm 16, Manus Soldier Settlement, near Tumbarumba, NSW.[1] The house was struck by lightening and destroyed by fire prior to January 1919.

Initially, Neaylon has problems obtaining his advance [£625] due to the delay in gaining title to the land.[2] As early as 20 February 1919, living conditions at Manus were difficult. When writing to the Minister for Lands, Neaylon outlined his problems stating that

we find conditions that we are living under here are somewhat worse than the hardships in the fields of France.[3]

On 7 March 1919 Neaylon was notified by the Director of Soldier Settlement that approval had been given to reserve an amount of £100 from his advance for the erection of another house and he was only to be indebted to the Department for tools, harness and milking utensils.[4]

On 2 May 1919 Neaylon applied for land in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA). He was informed that he had to first obtain a clearance from the Department of Lands before his second application could go ahead.[5] He was on Manus from 17 January 1919 until April 1919 when he abandoned the holding.[6] On 21 May 1926, Neaylon’s remaining assets that remained on the farm at Manus were taken over by the Department of Lands. It seems he did not take up land on the MIA.

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Settlement loan files; [12/6850 No. 1121], Report Police Station Tumbarumba 25 January 1919.

[2] Ibid, Notation on bottom of letter dated 27 March 1919.

[3] Ibid, Joseph Patrick Neaylon to Minister of Lands 20 February 1919.

[4] Ibid, J.G.R. Bryant Director of SS to P. Neaylon 7 march 1919.

[5] Ibid, George J. Evatt to Director of SS 3 October 1919.

[6] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum cApril 1919.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Settlement loan files; [12/6850 No. 1121] Joseph Patrick Neaylon.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Joseph Patrick Neaylon) online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=7992544&I=1&SE=1.

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