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Bowen is re-known for its beautiful beaches, and while the light house is no longer used, at low tide, you can walk to the island.

Claude had his daughter Valerie with him, at the Lighthouse, and perhaps at Scarwater. He left Valerie in the hands of some drovers. Valerie was living on the Lighthouse, as she recalled rowing a row boat from the island to the mainland. She would have been around 10 years old at the time.

(This information for Valerie was taken from family records which her daughter Lynn had been researching)

Claude was later employed as Station Manager of “Scarwater”, a large cattle station near Charters Towers, which was owned by the RSL Mention has been made that Claude was one of the founding members of the RSL. Most probably of a branch maybe at Roma.

The Scarwater Trust is operated from the earnings of a cattle station, it not only caters for the needs of ex-servicemen and their dependants, but also plays a vital role in the education of scholars in North Queensland, it originated in 1917.

RSL (Queensland Branch) was founded in 1916 by Diggers returning from World War I. The aim was to provide vital services for their mates.

“Valerie was left with some friends of Claude’s the Hansen’s, who were a droving family and he left her with them. She did not have much formal education”

Valerie was also living for some a time with her Aunt Eileen in New Farm. It would seem that she lived there in her early school days, perhaps from age 7 years, but after. Dale was born. She wrote many letters to her mother, asking to come home, so she could help out with “Boy”. The letters are a sad recount of her relationship with her mother.

Perhaps Claude returned to England at the time his father died, although there are no records to indicate this at this stage.

We know he went to New Zealand.