NSW Trustee and Guardian are proud to have a long history of supporting our armed forces, both through our staff entering military service in times of war, and by offering services to the soldiers and their families.
The Office of Public Trustee was established at the start of 1914, and once war was declared we were soon making Wills and administering the estates of fallen servicemen. Wills were drawn up for free, and most estates were administered without charging fees or commission.
The Public Trustee at the time, T. W. Garrett, put out advice to soldiers on how to make a Will:
'A soldier on active service… can make a Will disposing of the whole of his assets, with the exception of land, providing he is above the age of 14, and this Will –
- may be inferred by a simple direction as contained in a letter, and
need not be witnessed in any way - A soldier on active service carries with him a military pay book, in which a form of Will is provided...’
However, wartime Wills administered by the Public Trustee were not limited to formal or informal written documents.
In the estate of one soldier, the existence of a Will was confirmed by the deceased’s brother and another soldier he bunked with, though it was never recovered. The contents were inferred from statements the deceased soldier had made to his family and bunk mate. This Will directed that his estate was to be divided equally between his three sisters, with his horse to be gifted to the friend who cared for it while he was away. The Court accepted the witness testimony and directed that the estate be distributed accordingly.
By August 1919, the Public Trustee had administered the estates of over 7000 deceased soldiers.
Soldiers were also able to appoint the Public Trustee to act for them under Power of Attorney, store their important documents with us, and direct their pay into an interest-bearing account administered by the Trustee.
The Public Trustee also played an important role in supporting the families of the fallen.
In July 1917, an insurance scheme was launched for soldiers with dependents, the first 500 policies being funded solely by philanthropist Sir Samuel McCaughey. The trust documents were underwritten by private companies, and the board was made up of public figures. Further funds were donated by private citizens and entrusted to the Public Trustee without charge until they came due. The Public Trustee was active in requesting donations to fund further policies.
A report published following the first 500 policies being issued showed the impact of the scheme, finding that 1500 dependents would be provided for under the policies. At the time the report was made, two soldiers had already died, and funds provided to their families. (When the scheme was revived in World War II, the Public Trustee was again entrusted with administering and safeguarding funds donated by the public.)
As casualties increased, attention at home turned towards making provision for disabled soldiers and the widows and children of the fallen, and soon land was set aside to provide housing for them. The land was entrusted to the Public Trustee and developed by the Voluntary Workers’ Association. These developments were built entirely by volunteer labour with materials either donated or paid for by monetary donations. Tenants were charged nominal fixed rents and guaranteed housing. One such village, the Matraville Soldiers’ Garden Village, was maintained by the Public Trustee until the 1970s, when the land was transferred to the Housing Commission.
Over the course of both World Wars, 118 Public Trustee staff volunteered to serve.
16 did not come home.
In remembrance of:
Thomas Nathaniel Rickard (23 June 1889 – 19 July 1916), Second Lieutenant in the No. 53 Battalion. Lt Rickard was killed in the Battle of Fromelles, France. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his parents, William and Victoria Rickard.
James Hamilton Earle Maund (28 November 1907 - 22 January 1945), Staff Sergeant in the No 4 Australian Armoured Brigade. Sgt Maund died in Queensland while on active service. Before enlisting, he was an assistant trust officer with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his parents, James and Sarah Maund.
Norman Charles Beck (6 May 1918 – 3 November 1942), Pilot Officer in the No. 162 Squadron. PO Beck was killed in the course of aerial operations in the Second Battle of El Alamein, Egypt. His name was previously mentioned in despatches describing meritorious service. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his parents, Charles and Carmen Beck.
Geoffrey Hamilton Anderson (1 December 1916 – 24 February 1942), Sergeant in the No. 144 Squadron. Sgt Anderson was killed during aerial operations off the coast of the Netherlands. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his mother, Alice Anderson.
Walter Leonard Wallis (18 September 1917 – 3 November 1942), Pilot Officer in the No. 162 Squadron (RAF). PO Wallis was killed in the course of aerial operations in the Second Battle of El Alamein, Egypt. Before enlisting, he was a junior trust officer with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his parents, Walter and Sarah Wallis.
Keith Harry Bevan (10 September 1921 – 21 November 1943), Pilot Officer attached to the US No. 528 Bomb Squadron under RAAF command. PO Bevan was killed when his plane was shot down during aerial operations in Papua New Guinea. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his parents Harry George and Irene Bevan.
Errol Clifton Crapp (17 February 1919 – 4 March 1943), Flying Officer in the No. 100 Squadron. FO Crapp was killed when his plane went down off the coast of France. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his father, Rev. Arthur Frank Crapp.
John Richard Parkinson (18 September 1917 – 2 February 1945), Flight Lieutenant in the No. 24 Squadron. F/Lt Parkinson was killed when his plane crashed on making a forced landing in the Northern Territory. Before enlisting, he was an assistant conveyancer with the Public Trustee. He was survived by wife Lucy Joyce Parkinson, and his parents Starkie and Harriet Parkinson.
George Bruce Loder (13 October 1918 – 20 December 1943), Flight Lieutenant in the No. 156 Squadron. F/Lt Loder was killed during a bomber raid over Germany. Before enlisting, he was an accountant with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his wife Betty Loder, his daughter Elizabeth Loder, and his parents Arthur and Elsie Loder.
Harold Theodore Waddell (4 July 1918 – 8 February 1943), Sergeant in the No. 44 Squadron. Sgt Waddell was killed in a bomber raid over Lorient, France. Before enlisting, he was a junior trust officer with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his parents, Theodore and Elsie Waddell.
Geoffrey McDowell Curwood (16 June 1919 – 23 November 1943), Flight Sergeant in the 3 Operational Training RAF. F/Sgt Curwood was killed when his plane went down during a non-operational flight from the United Kingdom to the Mediterranean. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by parents, Frederick Charles and Irene Curwood.
Brian Bernard Finnane (15 December 1920 - 21 April 1943), Flight Sergeant in the No. 460 Squadron.F/Sgt Finnane was killed during a raid over Stettin, Germany. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his parents, James and Mary Anne Finnane.
William Thomas Charles Edginton (28 August 1921 – 25 February 1944), Flying Officer in the No. 467 Squadron. FO Edginton was killed when his plane went down at Deufringen, Germany during a bombing raid on Augsburg. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his parents, Walter and Harriet Edginton.
Edward Jack Freame (7 January 1922 - 21 July 1944), Flight Sergeant in the No. 467 Squadron. F/Sgt Freame was killed as a result of air operations over Belgium. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his father, William Freame, his mother having died while he was on active service.
Ronald Henry Etherton (2 November 1921 – 13 August 1944), Flight Sergeant in the No. 76 Squadron. F/Sgt Etherton was killed when his plane went down over France en route to Germany. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his parents Henry and Florence Etherton.
Philip William Benson (7 March 1912 – 21 July 1944), Flight Sergeant in the No. 467 Squadron. F/Sgt Benson was killed in the course of an air raid on Courtrai, Belgium. Before enlisting, he was a clerk with the Public Trustee. He was survived by his wife, Denise Eileen Benson, and his parents Harold and Selina Benson.
Lest We Forget.