Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Allen Edward MALONE was born in Carlton, Victoria, on 25th April, 1921, the son of Edward Henry MALONE  and Hilda Louisa WILLIAMS.     Throughout his life his name was mis-spelt as it was in his Service Record.   The spelling "Allen" is significant in that it was the name of his maternal forebears.   He finished his education at Caulfield Central School and then worked for a picture framer before commencing an Apprenticeship as a Metal Spinner with the Phoenix Manufacturing Company in 1936.

He reported for Service at the Melbourne Town Hall on 13th July, 1940.    He stated his age as 20 years & 2 months, but gave his exact year of birth, i.e. 1921.   He had raised his age because his parents would not give consent to his enlistment before the age of 20.

On 15th July, 1940, he reported to 14th Battalion Drill Hall, Caulfield, where he enlisted and was drafted to the Recruit Reception Depot.   He was described as being 5'  6 1/2" tall, weighing 142 lbs, with a fair complexion, grey eyes and dark hair.   He was allocated Army No. VX 46797 and appointed to Infantry, 8th Division.   On 18th July he was transferred to 15th Infantry Training Battalion at Shepparton.

On 8th February, 1941, Allen Edward MALONE transferred to 2/4 Australian Field Workshops at Balcombe, and was graded Driver.   He left Balcombe on 30th April, 1941, and was part of a group of four men driving two trucks to Adelaide.   They joined with the 11th Recovery Section from WA and drove to Darwin.    They arrived in Darwin on 8th May and joined the 23rd Brigade Group Ordnance Workshops at Larrakeyah Barracks.

While at Larrakeyah Barracks Allen severed the tendon in his left thumb.   The cut was sewn up by a medical orderly, without repairing the tendon.   This was to result in life-long impairment of movement in his thumb.

In December, 1941, an Advance Party from his Unit left for Ambon with 'Gull Force'.   This party, under Lieutenant Robert John Matthews, VX 39058, was taken prisoner by the Japanese in February 1942.   After the departure and capture of the Advance Party, the 23rd Brigade Group Ordnance Workshops became 23rd Independent Brigade, Group Ordnance Workshops,

On 19th February, 1942, the Japanese made their first two bombing raids on Darwin.   In later years Allen described to his children how they were having morning tea, when suddenly the sky was full of planes.   The planes were so low that they could see the features on the faces of the pilots.   Bombs had been dropped on the town and harbour but Larrakeyah Barracks was away from the centre so they had managed to escape without harm.   He also described how he had pulled dead bodies out of the water after the ships in the harbour had been hit.

After the raids the Army moved to defensive positions around Darwin.   Group Ordnance Workshops moved to guard the Navy Radio Station, then moved further south to Adelaide River.

On 1st December, 1942, Allen Edward MALONE was transferred to 12 Australian Division Workshops AEME.    By the end of the year he was serving as Medical Orderly in his Unit.   He atended a Course in Tropical Fevers (December '42) and a Stretcher Bearer's Course(January '43)  

He left the Northern Territory on 13th April, 1943, and spent some time in Sandy Creek, outside Gawler, SA.   On 14th June he was TOS 2/137 Australian Brigade Workshop in Qld, and promoted to A/Corporal.

On 12th July he embarked at Townsville for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.   He emplained for Buna, then moved inland to Saputa.   The area had seen intense fighting and there was still a great deal of mopping up to be done.   Allen wrote an account of this period for his family.   "We used to go down onto the Sanananda track and help the Graves Unit pick up all the bodies.  We used to put them in lots of 10, that was a jeep trailor load, and the Graves Unit would take them away and bury them."

At the RAP the main work was the treatment of injuries, the prevention of tropical diseases such as scrub-typhus and malaria, and the treatment of skin diseases and rashes.   On 17th September Allen was detached for duty with 6th Australian Field Ambulance.   He was transferred to AAMC in October, and attached to 137 Australian Brigade Workshops.   His rank of Corporal was confirmed on 8th December.

In May, 1944, his unit embarked for Lae, New Guinea.   From Lae they moved to Labu and then to Bulolo.   In September, 1944, Allen attended a Blood Typing and Infusion Course.   He achieved a pass mark of 99% and became fully qualified to run an Army Blood Bank.

In October his unit began preparations for a move to New Britain.   On 4th November Allen was granted Home Leave.   He re-joined his unit on 7th January, 1945, at Jacquinot Bay, New Britain.

As the Japanese retreated towards Rabaul the Workshop Unit moved up the coast in stages behind the infantry -  to plantations around Wide Bay, Kiep, Kamarandan and Toll, all of which had previously been occupied by the Japanese.   Dysentry was now a problem, and artillery fire and the noise of falling bombs could be clearly heard.

On 20th April the unit moved back to Jacquinot Bay in preparation for a return to Australia.   They embarked on 29th May and sailed for Brisbane.

On 11th June, 1945, Allen was granted 40 days Leave and was able to travel home to Melbourne.   He married Roberta FIELD on 7th July at Caulfield South.   At the end of his Leave he had to return to Brisbane.

Japan accepted the terms of surrender on 14th August.   Allen returned to Victoria in October, and, during a medical examination prior to discharge, the damage to his thumb was noted.   He was admitted to hospital while the injury was assessed i.e. Partially severed left flexor.   He refused an operation as no improvement could be guaranteed.   He was Discharged from the A.I.F. on 28th November, 1945.

After the War Allen finished his Apprenticeship and then left to commence work as a Carpenter.   In a few years he became a Construction Supervisor and was later employed as Clerk of Works with the Croydon City Council.  He was one of the first men at the Council to volunteer for the new Civil Defence Unit and helped to establish the radio section.   He attended a Signallers Course and a Wireless Operators Course and became the Radio Controller and Communications Officer.   The Civil Defence Unit later became the State Emergency Unit.

After retirement Allen and his wife moved to Bendigo.   He died on 3rd December, 2002, at Mt Alvernia Mercy Hospital, Golden Square.   His body was cremated on 6th December, 2002, at the Bendigo Crematorium, Eaglehawk.