Thanks for sharing that. Very interesting reading! If only I could make my git of a 17 year old son understand how hard life can be and how bl**dy lucky he has been. But I have a feeling that the only response would be "waddever!" or something similar. Linda JMBecker@aol.com wrote: > Dear Doug, > I've transcribed the following from a newspaper article written by my > Grandmother's first cousin, Hilderic Robin DE GRUCHY (b 1899 Hastings- abt 1973 > Australia). Sorry I don't know when it was published or where but perhaps > it will help. > Cheers, > Joanne > Joanne Mays Becker > Sleepy Hollow, New York > > Land of Milk and Honey? > After the first World War (1914-1918) I was in the 4th East Surrey Regiment, > and served in France, Belgium and Germany, mostly occupational work. I > served from 1918-1921. When I got my discharge from the Army in England there > was a big depression there and I was unable to get any kind of a job. My > family kept me and so, when the government said that there was a plan to enable > young men (who passed the physical test) to go to Australia, and offering > government jobs over there so that the government would be repaid for the trip, I > felt I should go to Australia, the land of milk and honey. > I sailed then on the ship SS "Deogenes" via the Cape. It took two months to > get there. The ship was coal driven. I remember very well arriving in > Melbourne, and there was a police strike on. Although it only lasted a few > hours, it caused much damage, big stores were looted and thousands of pounds worth > of jewellery and clothes were stolen: not a pleasant way to be welcomed to > a new land. > In Melbourne I was sent to various farms for 10s. a week and my board and > lodging. After I had repaid the government for the trip (which took two years) > I was on my own, in a worse depression than I had left in England. I could > not get any work at all. Unemployed men hitch-hiked from town to town. We > would do anything for a meal, such as cutting wood, and odd jobs. We lived on > rations given out by the government. It was no better until 1939 when, on > account of the World War Two, there was the making of munitions, etc. > >From then on I was able to make a living in construction work, etc. I never > married, and I never owned a home. But I'm lucky to be alive and in pretty > good health at 73 years old. > For years I was moving around so much I had no permanent address. With > things as they were, I did not keep in touch with my relatives, but my sister in > America tried to locate me through the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Masonic > Fraternity, but could not do so. However, I finally wrote to the Lord Mayor > of Hastings and asked him to locate my family. He found my brother who had > worked for the "Hastings Observer" for many years as an engineer. They were > so happy to be able to get in touch with me after so long. I was able to > return to England for a visit which I enjoyed very much. > I get the old age pension and I now paint and draw as a hobby, which I > always wanted to do. My advice for anyone wanting to come to Australia is, be > prepared to work hard, and perhaps you will get the milk and honey. Anyway, it > is a beautiful country. > > In a message dated 3/11/2008 6:50:40 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > dugbar38@bigpond.com writes: > Hello Listers, > My father was one of the young men who left England in 1923, bound for a new > life in Australia. He was pennyless and had only the clothes he wore. He > must have had assistance from one of the organisations such as Big Brother or Bar > nardos Society or another that organised his passage, someone to greet him > on arrival and direct him to his new employer. > I have been unable to locate any information as to where he got assistance. > The ships passenger list does not indicate him as an assisted migrant so > somewhere there is legal paperwork on his movements. > I am open to suggestions as to where these documents might be found whether > in England or Australia. > Thanks in anticipation, > Douglas Eldridge > > > > > > > **************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL Money & > Finance. (http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolprf00030000000001) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SUSSEX-PLUS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >