NAME Clarence Faulkner
BORN Abt. 1896
DIED ?
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 1551
UNIT Inverell 35th Battalion
ENLISTED Sydney 4 August 1919
DISCHARGED Medically Unfit

The water has given out and the cattle are dying

 

Clarence Faulkner’s block was a Settlement Lease 1908/6 consisting of 1351 acres.[1] It was in the County of Arrawatta, Parish of Rose, Inverell Land District.[2] Faulkner wanted to use his advance money for a house, fencing, a buggy and breeding cattle.[3] His prospects were judged to be very good in December 1921 and his physical fitness seen as perfectly sound.[4] His holding was big enough to be a home maintenance area with a carrying capacity of 1 sheep to the acre.[5] Faulkner’s advance was approved by 22 March 1922.[6] The drought, however, steadily worsened.

On 4 December 1922, A.L. Roberts wrote to the Department of Repatriation complaining about how Faulkner and another settler, Sholtz of Barwon, ‘were carrying on with their place’.

They have cattle on the place and are living in Delungra, as it has been a very dry year here.  The water has given out and the cattle are dying and getting bogged in a big swamp not fenced in…. not only that, the rabbits are breeding.[7]

A CP Inspector reported on 1 February 1923, that Faulkner was not living on the holding although he visited there occasionally.[8] Faulkner had abandoned his block by 5 October 1923.[9] On 13 November 1924, the Police Constable at Ashford reported that his whereabouts were unknown.[10] Clarence Faulkner was one of hundreds of soldier settlers who deserted their holdings.

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/7298 No. 8318, Application for Loan 16 November 1921.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid, Secretary Department of Repatriation to the Director of SS 17 November 1921.

[4] Ibid, Department of Lands Report 22 November 1921.

[5] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum 28 March 1922.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid, A.L. Roberts to Department of Repatriation 4 December 1922.

[8] Ibid, CP Inspector’s Report 1 February 1923.

[9] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum 5 October 1923.

[10] Ibid, Police Report 13 November 1924.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/7298 No. 8318] Clarence Faulkner.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Clarence Faulkner) online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=3549752&I=1&SE=1