NAME William Michael Brennan
BORN 26 November 1889 Dulwich Hill Sydney
DIED 1952
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 1711
UNIT 13th Battalion
ENLISTED Liverpool 8 January 1915
DISCHARGED Sydney 15 December 1918 – Medically unfit -suffered with bronchitis and the after effects of being gassed for several years.

William Brennan obtained a block of five acres on Hillview Soldier Settlement – No. 324 which was in the County of Cumberland, Parish of St Luke, Parramatta Land District. Brennan had trained in poultry farming at Grantham before obtaining the block on Hillview.[1]  He was allocated the block on 28 February 1921 taking it up in March of the same year.[2]

 On 23 August 1926, he applied to suspend his repayments as he ‘hadn’t been able to carry a full quota of adult stock and because of drastic culling, had only been able to get the quality but not the quantity’.[3] He also complained that the high cost of feed was a reason for his non-payment of his arrears.[4]  As he was classed as the original settler he believed that he should not have to carry debts that were accrued by the previous settler. Especially he said, ‘when he took over the place it was a mess’.[5]

 After initially declaring that he intended staying on the block at Hillview because that type of farm work suited him, he abandoned it prior to November 1926.[6]  He sold his poultry to persons unknown and was arrested in Liverpool for being drunk.[7] His case was referred to the Crown Solicitor who demanded from him the amount owed to the government for the poultry.

 On 25 May 1927, the Crown Solicitor wrote to the Under Secretary for Lands stating that a judgement was signed against Brennan for an amount of £290.16.2.  Brennan applied to the Legal Aid Office to defend the action as he believed firmly that he did not owe the debt.[8]  Brennan’s application was refused. He was not able to do heavy work and was living in a small poorly furnished cottage and had no assets ‘beyond the furniture that was valued at a few pounds’.[9]  In June 1927 Brennan was receiving a war pension of £4.4.0 per fortnight with his wife receiving £2.16.0 for herself and one child.[10]

 Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department;  NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/7052] William Michael Brennan, Approval for training at Grantham 21 April 1920.

[2] Ibid,  RSS Branch Office Memorandum 17 August 1922.

[3] SRNSW:  Lands Department;  NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/7299 No. 8342],  William Michael Brennan to the Hon. P.F. Loughlin 23 August 1926.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid, Department of Lands Memorandum 4 November 1926.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid, Crown Solicitor to the Under Secretary 25 May 1927.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid,  Deputy Commissioner of Repatriation, J.E. Bennett to the Under Secretary 16 June 1927.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files, [12/7052],  William Michael Brennan.

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files,  [12/7299 No. 8342], ] William Michael Brennan.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (William Michael Brennan) online: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=3118335