Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Served in the Eaglehawk Rifle Club.  Son of Thomas and Annie Allen

Cemetery  details: Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, Achiet-le-Grand, Arras, Nord Pas de Calais, France  (Plot 1, Row F, Grave 20)

"Our Soldiers.  LETTER FROM LANCE-CORPORAL ALLEN.  France, April 1917.

Dear mother and dad,- Well I  am dropping you a few lines to let  you know that I am doing well at present (#67887729). I suppose you know that  I am wounded by this time. Well,  we made a charge on the 10th April  in the morning, we came in from a  spell and were only two days in lines  when we hopped over just before  daylight and we had to break Hindenburg's line, so I was in the first  wave. I got into the trench  and I noticed a machine gun of  Fritz's firing on the second line  which was coming up, so I got rid  of a bomb, but I missed him, so I  got up to get my section in, as I  noticed him fire point blank at me  and I got it in the thigh and leg.  He was only 15 yards off me. I got  for my life. I could not walk, but  I crawled back 700 yards. I was dead beat when I got to the dressing station, so I am marked to go  to hospital in England. From Lance  Corporal Albert Allen." - from the Donald Times 29 Jun 1917 (nla.gov.au)

"FOR FREEDOM'S CAUSE.
ALLEN. — Died of wounds at first clearing station in France, 10th May, 1917. Lance-Corporal Albert Edward Allen, G. Coy., 7th  Battalion. Dearly-loved friend of Mr. and  Mrs. W. J. Wearne and family, 61 Garsed-street, Bendigo. Aged 27 years.
Not dead to those who loved him.
Not lost, but gone before:
He lives with us in memory still,
And will for evermore.
One of Australia's best (#16070566)." - from the Bendigo Advertiser 29 Jun 1917 (nla.gov.au)

Albert Edward Allen was born in Sydney Flat, Woodvale, Vic., the son of Thomas & Annie Allen.    He was employed as a Fireman with the Victorian Railways, and stated his address as “Residing with Mr. W. J. and Mrs. K. Wearne, 61 Garsed-street, Bendigo”.  

He was 22 years & 6 months old and had previous military service as a member of a Rifle Club.   He Enlisted for service in the Expeditionary Force on 21/8/14 and arrived at Broadmeadows Camp on 24/8/14.   He was allotted Service no. 847 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion.  He was Attached to the Machine Gun section, 7th Battalion. 

The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’.   Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids.   (6/12/14)   

 In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized.   In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company.      This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.   

On April 3, 1915, Albert Edward Allen was admitted to No 2 Australian General Hospital, Mena House, Cairo, suffering from Influenza.   His condition was later described as Rheumatism.   He rejoined the battalion on 26/5/15 at Anzac Cove, the 7th Battalion having landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915. 

In July, 1915, the Battalion moved into the trenches at Steele’s Post.   Most of their time here was spent in sniping at the enemy’s loopholes and repairing the trenches.   Albert Edward Allen was wounded on 13/7/15, sustaining Shock and a bruised back. 

In a Letter Allen wrote: “You will wonder why I am in Malta.   I had a bit of a narrow escape.   I injured my back a bit and was sent to hospital.   During the seven weeks I was on the Peninsula I was in the trenches almost all the time, owing to being on the machine gun.   They want them in the firing line all the time, and have not the crews to relieve us.   During the last couple of weeks the Turks had brought up a couple of howitzers (a six and a ten inch) and they gave us a lively time with them.   Our guns did not seem to be able to find them.   Our part of trench was one side of a rise and they could drop the shells in them every time, causing a lot of damage and many casualties.   Our section had some narrow escapes.   Our dugouts were in a communication trench behind the gun position.   Some of us were sitting in them one evening when the shells were falling very close.   We saw it was no use shifting for they would get you wherever you went.   That evening passed off alright.   The next evening (it was generally evening when they would shell us) when they started we shifted further along the trench.   It was lucky for us that we did so, for a shell landed behind them and filled them all in.   We started to dig them out again, thinking some of our chaps were buried, but they turned up alright.   Lucky for us we shifted again, for one landed where we had just left.   The next evening we were frying some bacon and spuds when they started again.   We were not going to lose our tea over them, so we finished frying and was [sic] just going to eat, when someone sang out that some chaps were buried, so we dug them out (two) and then we heard some were killed in a tunnel, so we went round to them.   Such a sight I never wish to see again.   We were just trying to get one chap out who was badly wounded, when one of the large shells landed on the side of the trench and buried the lot of us (four with the wounded man and two dead).   It took about a quarter of an hour to dig us out.   It is not a very nice sensation being buried alive.   One of the chaps had his leg broken, the other was cut about the face.   I never lost much skin, but I hurt my back across the kidneys.   We were all sent off to the hospital on the beach.”   [Bendigonian  January 6 1916]   

Albert Edward Allen went on to serve on the Western front, rejoining his unit in France (20/5/16).    He was Transferred to 2nd Bde Machine Gun Company (23/6/16) and Appointed Lance Corporal (11/4/17).    He Died of Wounds on 10/5/17, having sustaining GSW to his forehead, arm, and left wrist.   He was Buried Achiet-Le- Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, France.   

“The First Lot.   7th Battalion.   The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone