John Robert (Jack) ALLAN

ALLAN, John Robert

Service Number: 4592
Enlisted: 30 March 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: 1st Field Artillery Brigade
Born: Mayfield, New South Wales, Australia, 1 November 1892
Home Town: Mayfield East, Newcastle, New South Wales
Schooling: Wickham Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Ironmonger
Died: KIA - hit by shell, Westhoek Ridge, Belgium, 16 October 1917, aged 24 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Mayfield St. John's Presbyterian Church Corporal John Robert Allan Memorial Plaque, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient)
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

30 Mar 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4592, Liverpool, New South Wales
10 Aug 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 4592, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Persia embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
10 Aug 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 4592, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, RMS Persia, Sydney
23 Oct 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 4592, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, ANZAC / Gallipoli
16 Oct 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 4592, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Third Ypres

Cpl John Robert Allan

From Gary Mitchell

Awaiting memorialisation at Sandgate Cemetery.
102 years ago today, on the 16th October 1917, Corporal John Robert Allan, 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade, ironmonger (D. Cohen & Company), from "Craigilee", 39 Elizabeth Street, Mayfield, New South Wales, fell at the 1st Battle of Passchendaele, age 24 years, 11 months.
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1663154

Born at Islington, New South Wales on the 1st November 1892 to John Robert (died 1936) and Mary Elizabeth (died 1942) Allan, Jack enlisted March 1915 at Liverpool, N.S.W.

Mr Allan was killed by a gas shell at Westhoek Ridge, and sadly his remains were never recovered, so his name has been inscribed on The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 11), Belgium.
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1504339
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138746092

Jack’s name has been remembered on the Waratah Park Memorial Gates (photos, unveiled on the 23rd February 1921), Mayfield-St Johns Presbyterian Church Roll of Honour, Waratah Presbyterian Church Roll of Service and the Wickham Superior Public School Roll of Honour.

There is no memorial inscription on the headstone at his parent’s grave, and I am unable to erect a memorial cross, so I have placed poppies to honour Jack’s supreme sacrifice for God, King and Country over 100 years ago. PRESBYTERIAN-2NE. 24.

http://sandgate.northerncemeteries.com.au/index.php/war-heroes/world-war-1-memorialised-2?id=51&aso=exact&s_f=id&data_search=418211#2
Older twin brothers Duncan Gilles (Reg No-3752, born 1891, died 1961) and Ronald Victor (Reg No-8338, born 1891, died?) also served 1st A.I.F.
Younger brother Cecil Richard (Reg No-712, born 1898, died 1983) also served 1st A.I.F.
Lest We Forget.

Read more...

Corporal John R. Allan

Corporal John R. Allan, was the first of four sons of Mr. and Mrs. John R. Allan, of "Craig Lea," Elizabeth street, Mayfield, to enlist. He served with the artillery in Egypt, Gallipoll, Belgium, and France. His parents on several occasions received word from indirect sources of his great skill as an artilleryman. Prior to enlisting he was engaged in the ironmongery department of D. Cohen and Company, and was highly popular with both the heads of the firm and employees. His other three brothers Ronald, Duncan, and Cecil—followed him to war, and the latter had his thigh badly fractured in July last, after only joining his brother for eight days, and whom he had not seen for two years. John was wounded 21 July 1917 from a gas attack but quickly found himself back with his mates in September of that year and was killed in action a month later on 16 October 1917.

Read more...
Showing 2 of 2 stories

Biography contributed by Sam Allan

"...4592 Private John Robert Allan, 7th Reinforcements, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, of Newcastle, NSW. Pte Allan enlisted on 8 April 1915 and embarked aboard RMS Persia in Sydney on 10 August 1915. Corporal (Cpl) Allan was killed in action at Westhoek Ridge, near Ypres, on 16 October 1917. His death is commemorated at The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium. Cpl Allan had three brothers who also served with the AIF, including 3752 Pte Duncan Gillies Allan, who returned to Australia on 15 June 1919..." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

Read more...

Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

LATE CORPORAL ALLAN. Corporal John W. Allan, whose name appears in today's list of district casualties, as having been killed in action, was the first of four sons of Mr. and Mrs. John R. Allan, of "Craig Lea," Elizabeth street, Mayfield, to enlist. He served with the artillery in Egypt, Gallipoll, Belgium, and France. His parents on several occasions received word from indirect sources of his great skill as an artillery man.

Prior to enlisting he was engaged in the ironmongery department of D. Cohen and Company, and was highly popular with both the heads of the firm and employees. His other three brothers Ronald, Duncan, and Cecil—followed him, and the latter had his thigh badly fractured in July last, after only joining his brother for eight days, and whom he had not seen for two years. 
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW),
17 November 1917. 

Read more...

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
 
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War awaiting memorialisation at Sandgate Cemetery.

On the 16th October 1917, Corporal John Robert Allan, referred to as Jack, 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade (Reg No-4592), ironmonger (D. Cohen & Company), from "Craigie Lea", 39 Elizabeth Street, Mayfield, New South Wales, was Killed in Action when his back was broken when hit by a gas shell in a gun pit, Westhoek Ridge near Forresters Wood, 1st Battle of Passchendaele, age 24 years 11 months.

Born at Islington, New South Wales on the 1st November 1892 to John Robert (died 2.3.1936, Hamilton, N.S.W., age 75) of Maitland Road, Islington, N.S.W. (1895), and Mary Elizabeth Allan nee Gillies (died 16.9.1942, Ryde, N.S.W., age 82, mother of 7 sons), Jack enlisted on the 30th March 1915 at Liverpool, N.S.W.

Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board RMS Persia on the 10th August 1915.

Admitted to hospital 29.9.1915 (influenza), 5.8.1916 (malaria).

Proceeded on leave from 9.5.1917 to 26.5.1917.
Wounded in action - 21.7.1917 (gassed).

Mr. Allan’s name has been inscribed on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 11), Belgium.

Place of Association – Mayfield, New South Wales, Australia.

Jack’s name has also been inscribed on the Waratah Park Memorial Gates, Mayfield-St Johns Presbyterian Church Roll of Honour, Waratah Presbyterian Church Roll of Service and the Wickham Superior Public School Roll of Honour.

Unfortunately, there is no memorial inscription on the Allan headstone plaque to tell us of the loss of their son during The Great War, and I am unable to erect a Memorial cross, so I have placed poppies at the gravesite in remembrance of Jack’s service and supreme sacrifice for God, King & Country. PRESBYTERIAN-2NE. 24.

Older twin brothers Duncan Gilles Allan (born 4.5.1891, Islington, New South Wales, shop assistant from "Craigie Lea", 39 Elizabeth Street, Mayfield, New South Wales, enlisted 8.9.1915, 19th Battalion, Reg No-3752, RTA 2.8.1919, 4th Australian Divisional Train, died 31.1.1961, Morisset, N.S.W., age 69, not officially commemorated ), and Ronald (Ronnie) McLellan Victor Allan (born 4.5.1891, Islington, New South Wales, clerk from "Craigie Lea", 39 Elizabeth Street, Mayfield, New South Wales, enlisted 10.8.1915, Army Service Corps, Reg No-8338, RTA 8.9.1919, 4th Australian Divisional Train, died 5.5.1962, age 71, not officially commemorated) also served 1st A.I.F.

Younger brother Cecil Richard Allan (born 17.11.1897, Wickham, New South Wales, clerk from "Craigie Lea", 39 Elizabeth Street, Mayfield, New South Wales, enlisted 4.1.1916, 35th Battalion, Reg No-712, RTA 3.1.1918, 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade, died 10.12.1983, Mayfield, N.S.W., age 86, not officially commemorated, no photo, also served 1st A.I.F.

Also older brother Gordon M, born 4.4.1889, Hamilton, N.S.W., died?.

Also younger twin brothers Stewart Lock, born 16.4.1895, Islington, N.S.W., died 24.1.1950, Auburn, N.S.W., age 54., and Alexander Bruce, born 16.4.1895, Islington, N.S.W., died 31.10.1895, Islington, N.S.W., age 6 months, sleeping at PRESBYTERIAN-2NE. 24, name not inscribed on headstone plaque, "A Bud in Heaven."

Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.

For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/

Lest We Forget.

Read more...