Geoffrey Blake Hammond was born 1898, Wingham and served in WW1. He enlisted in 1915 aged 18 years and fought in the Middle East, England and France. He was wounded in action in France and suffered shell shock but returned home to Australia where he married Grace Nellie Stewart in 1932.2
Geoffrey was granted land under the Returned Soldiers Settlement Act of 1916 which made land affordable for men who had served overseas with the Australian Imperial Forces or British Defence Force. It was a way of providing returned soldiers with a source of income and recognising their personal sacrifice.3 Geoffrey paid £132.18.9 for just over 8 acres.4 In 1921 the Wingham Council granted him permission to build a weatherboard cottage on the property.5
Geoffrey joined his father’s company after WW1 working as a storekeeper in Wingham. In February 1941, aged 43 years, he signed up for WW2. He served in the Australian 8th Garrison Battalion and later in the 18th Australian Employment Company at the Cowra Prisoner of War camp in 1943.6 Geoffrey was an active member of the Wingham community and was very involved with the Returned and Services League of Australia.7 Geoffrey died in 1966 and the property went to his wife Grace.8
Author: Janine Roberts
References:
1 LJ Hooker advertisement https://wingham.ljhooker.com.au/lifestyle-in-wingham-nsw-2429-au-q3mf85#.WkrMaVT1XUI
2 NAA: B2455, HAMMOND G B; NSW Registry of BDM, Birth Index for Geoffrey B Hammond (1898 No. 7640); Marriage Index for Geoffrey B Hammond and Grace N Stewart (1932 No. 12647).
3 Returned Soldiers Settlement Act, 1916 https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/acts/1916-21.pdf.
4 NSW Land Registry Services Vol-Fol: 5059-73.
5 Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer, 29 Jul 1921.
6 NAA: B884, N102141.
7 Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer, 31 March 1950.
8 NSW Registry of BDM, Death Index for Geoffrey Blake Hammond (1966 No. 36270); NSW Land Registry Services Vol-Fol: 7912-132.
