NAME Charles McDonald CAMERON
BORN Abt. 1877
DIED 7 October 1929
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 6477
UNIT 2nd Battalion
ENLISTED Sydney  9 March 1916
DISCHARGED Sydney 23 March 1918 – Medically Unfit

Charles McDonald Cameron farmed the 600 acres property (Settlement Purchase No 1920/15) in the Land District of Narrabri, Parish of Narrabri, County of Nandewar). He had acquired it by transfer on 23 March 1922 from another returned soldier, Tom Burdekin.[1]

His wife, Charlotte Elizabeth Cameron, ran the property with Jack Thorley on a one half-share basis after the death of her husband on 7 October 1929.[2]

Although she still owned the property, by 1940 Elizabeth Cameron was living at Caringbah in Sydney. The property was being run by her share-farmer Jack Thorley, ‘whom she believed to be an excellent man and it would be a pity to lose him’.[3] At the time she stated that her intention was to return to the property and to work it herself.[4]

Elizabeth believed that her property had never been suitable for soldier settlers.

The whole station was over-run with rabbits and they poisoned the land for years. The first five years on Stoney Brook will haunt me for ever, rabbits, drought and no water. No one only those who have been through it can understand. Three of the poor men have passed on to a peaceful rest after a great battle against odds. This is one reason why I do not like to part with it. If I could only do with it what my husband endeavoured [despite bad health] to do[5]

On 21 January 1941, she wrote requesting that she be able to continue working on a share-farming basis.[6] This was approved around the 7 April 1941.[7] Charlotte Elizabeth Cameron died 6 June 1971.

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Settlement loan files; [12/6852 No. 1167], Under-Secretary to Rural Reconstruction Board, 24 June 1940;   Loans and Arrears Section CS & RSS Branch, 19 November 1941.

[2] Ibid, Inspection Report 20 February 1939.

[3] Ibid, Charlotte Cameron CS & RSS Branch 7 May 1940.

[4] Ibid, Under-Secretary to Rural Reconstruction Board 24 June 1940

[5] Ibid, Elizabeth Cameron to CS & RSS Branch July 1940.

[6] Ibid, 21 June 1941.

[7] Ibid, Land Arrears section CS & RSS Branch 7 April 1941.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Settlement loan files; [12/6852 No. 1167] Charles McDonald Cameron.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Charles McDonald Cameron.) online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=3192999&I=1&SE=1.