ALLEN, William Wallace Bentley
| Service Number: | 236 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 August 1914, Enlisted at Brisbane |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 9th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hamilton, Victoria, Australia, 1886 |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Dunmore West State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Military Staff Clerk, Queensland CMF |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Turkey, 25 April 1915 |
| Cemetery: |
Lone Pine Cemetery, ANZAC Grave L. 5. INSCRIPTION - THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Portland WW1 Honour Roll, Portland War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 236, Enlisted at Brisbane | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Sep 1914: | Involvement 236, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Omrah embarkation_ship_number: A5 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Sep 1914: | Embarked 236, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Omrah, Brisbane | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement Sergeant, 236, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 236 awm_unit: 9th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1915-04-25 |
Help us honour William Wallace Bentley Allen's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Previous military service included 2 years as Staff Sergeant Major and 2 years as a military clerk
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 25 and the son of Jane McDonald Allen, of "Arlie," Hurd St., Portland, Victoria, and the late Charles Allen. Native of Hamilton, Victoria. His brother, Private Charles Alexander Allen, aged 29 also fell.He served with the 58th Bn. Service Number 1614.
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Reported missing 25 April 1915. A court of enquiry held during June 1916, 14 months later, found him to be “killed in action 25 April 1915.” His remains were discovered in 1920 and buried in the Lone Pine Cemetery.
“Witness said several men told him they saw Allen on the day of the Anzac landing on the way down to the beach with a mule carrying a load of ammunition. Amongst those was Cpl Stewart Christie, 49th Bn previously 9th. Neither Allen nor the mule were seen again. They both disappeared. The general impression was that Allen was killed by a shell.” 177 Private Alexander McCaughan 9th Battalion, 30 June 1916.
Letter written to Military Department by William's sister Sarah Ann, 17 June 1916.
"Dear Sir, I would like to hear something of our brother, who we have reason to believe is a prisoner in Constantinaple or taken by the turks somewhere. His address is Sergeant W W B Allen, 236 B Company, 9th Infantry, 3rd Brigade A I Forces. Could you please find out through the American Ambassador for us, we would be really indebted to you. He was reported missing in June, be we heard from a soldier returned of the Company, that he led a charge and captured a position and a lot of ammunition, and was seen later taking it back to the base with two horses. Later on one horse was found shot, and the other one had disappeared with my brother also. So the returned soldier says it is certain he was taken prisoner. Hoping you will be able to do something.
I am yours sincerely S A Allen."
From William's Service Records, 13 November 1920.
"Dear Madam, re late No: 236, Sergeant W W B Allen, 9th Battalion,
The remains of the late soldier have been exhumed from the recently discovered Turkish Cemetery at Pine Ridge, and re-interred in the Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli. This work is carried out with every measure of care and reverence in the presence of a Chaplain."
Biography contributed by Andreena Hockley
Sergeant-Major William Allen, son of Mrs. Allen, of Drumborg, Queensland, was killed in action on the 25th of April, 1915. Born in 1886, he was appointed junior teacher at School No. 1411, Laang, in 1902, and No. 489, Portland, in 1905. He resigned in 1908 in order to take up a military career.
He was appointed Staff Sergeant-Major in Queensland, and he enlisted from that State. His record is that of a good and able teacher.
Source: The Education Department's Record of War Service, Victoria, 1914-1919.
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