NAME Gerald Horace Bacon
BORN 27 December 1892
DIED ?
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 4349
UNIT No. 2 Sea Transport
ENLISTED Sydney 25 April 1916
DISCHARGED Sydney 1 September 1916 – Medically Unfit??
He became dangerously ill with meningitis and suffered some visual impairment

 [a] very bad winter on top of a bad summer

Gerald Horace Bacon took up a block adjoining the one occupied by Frederick Stanley Walker.  It was a Private Lease, leased for the period of five years from 1 February 1920.[1] The two blocks were a part of O’Brien’s Farm in the Land District of Wollongong.[2] Bacon and O’Brien appeared to be in partnership, a pooling of energy and resources not uncommon with soldier settlers – they obtained an Advance each but were given the same loan number.[3] The property of 96 acres was believed to be capable of supporting two men with ‘knowledge of dairying and mixed farming’.[4] There were splendid rains in February 1920, both men were keen and optimistic and determined to get on to their holding.[5]

Gerald Bacon continued to meet his financial obligations, but toward the end of 1921 required an extension of a balance of £47.13.6.[6] This was granted.

By July 1922, the two men were making good process ‘working away manfully’ and were given permission to sell some cows and heifers, although this did not go ahead. But by the following year NSW was plunged into severe drought – Bacon and O’Brien’s repayments quickly fell into arrears and they made very little money.[7]

On 17 August 1923, they wrote to the Director of SS stating that,

They have been compelled to leave their property as owing to the very bad winter on top of a bad summer and (with) all our feed is exhausted, we cannot carry on to make enough to keep our wives and family.[8]

On 23 August, the two men were interviewed about their position and future prospects and it was suggested that their stock and plant be sold to liquidate their debt to the Department.[9] At this date, Bacon’s arrears amounted to a massive £362.2.9.[10]

Their property was sold to a George Thomas for £500 cash.[11] The settlers vacated their holding on 17 August 1923.[12] The two settlers, Bacon and Walker had not repaid the amount overdue on their advance however.  The money from the sale of the property was taken off Bacon’s amount owing, with half eventually being taken off Walker’s debt.[13]

There continued to be confusion about this well into 1924, because it was believed that the two settlers were on the same holding and not on two.[14] On 17 March 1925, approval was given for Bacon to repay his debt at £2 per month.[15] By 22 February 1926 Bacon was having trouble paying this amount saying he ‘had unfortunate setbacks’.[16] In September 1926, he was living in Brisbane and still unable to pay his debts.[17] In December 1927 he wrote again, ‘one of these days I hope to get going again’.[18]

A war pension payable to Bacon and his wife was cancelled on 21 October 1920 ‘on the grounds that the member was not considered to be suffering any incapacity due to war service’.[19] Around September 1931, Bacon was living in Perth.[20] In November 1931 Bacon paid ten shillings off his account.[21]

Bacon’s debt was written off on 23 June 1937.[22] His case shows the partnerships that sometimes enabled soldier settlers to survive on the land.  It also demonstrates high rates of itinerancy once a failed settler walked away from farming.

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6854 No. 1231], Gerald Horace Bacon, RSS Branch Memorandum 31 May 1923.

[2] Ibid, Application for Loan 20 February 1919.

[3] Ibid, Illawarra Repatriation Executive to the Director of SS, 20 February 1919.

[4] Ibid, Valuer General to the Director of Soldiers’ Settlements 26 February 1919.

[5] Ibid, William Waters JP to Director of SS 25 February 1919.

[6] Ibid, RSS Memorandum 15 November 1921.

[7] Ibid, 16 June 1923.

[8] Ibid, Bacon and Walker to the Director of RSS Branch 17 August 1923.

[9] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum 23 August 1923.

[10] Ibid, Report from the Under Secretary 24 August 1923.

[11] Ibid, O’Donnell and Stumbles Auctioneers 27 August 1923.

[12] Ibid, Crown Solicitor to Under Secretary for Lands, RSS Branch 14 June 1924.

[13] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum 30 October 1923.

[14] Ibid, 22 July 1924.

[15] Ibid, Under Secretary to Crown Solicitor 17 March 1925.

[16] Ibid, Gerald Bacon to RSS Branch 22 February 1926.

[17] Ibid, 12 September 1926.

[18] Ibid, 22 December 1927.

[19] Ibid, J.E. Barrett Deputy Commission of the Repatriation Commission 19 March 1931.

[20] Ibid, Under Secretary to Commonwealth Electoral Officer 28 September 1931.

[21] Ibid, Bacon to RSS Branch 3 November 1931.

[22] Ibid, Loans and Arrears Section 23 June 1937.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6854 No. 1231] Gerald Horace Bacon.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Gerald Horace Bacon) online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=3043451&I=1&SE=1