NAME Robert John Smith
BORN Strathmerton, Victoria, Abt. 1897
DIED  ?
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 2216
UNIT 17th Battalion
ENLISTED Liverpool 7 July 1915
DISCHARGED Melbourne 22 June 1919

 Robert Smith’s block was in the County of Hume Parish of Jerra Jerra, Albury Land District.   His block consisted of a little over 420 acres.  He applied for his loan on 17 June 1921.[1] On 7 March 1922, John Lovett the Secretary of Repatriation at Hentry applied for land sustenance on behalf of Smith and other settlers on Jerra Jerra. His reason for this being that the men had taken up bare blocks late in the season missing the planting period.  All of the men who had sunk a lot of their own resources into the land were judged to be good types who with a fair chance, would continue to improve their blocks.[2]

 Around November 1923, Smith applied to transfer his holding to Cecil McMillan a civilian.[3] Smith did transfer the holding but retained the stock plant and machinery.  He wanted to take up share–farming as he was unable to buy another place. 

 Footnotes

 [1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files  [12/7263 No. 7717], Robert John Smith,  Application for Loan 17 June 1921.

[2] Ibid, John Lovett to Acting Director RSS 7 March 1922.

[3] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum 12 November 1923.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NES 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files,  [12/7263 No. 7717], Robert John Smith.

National Archives of Australia:  B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Robert John Smith) online:  http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=1788364