Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Allan Maxwell Farrell born in Kadina South Australia to parents William and Frances Farrell. 

Allan would want to talk about horses to begin his biography. There is a photo of him on the horse he rode to school each day, you can see the drinking troughs in the background at the school, they were for the children not horses!

Before World War II enticed Allan to join the Army, he had various jobs that involved horses, he was a coach painter, in those days it was a coach that was drawn by draft horses. He mostly wanted to ride and look after horses, at some time in his youth he travelled to Northern Territory and became a stockman, which involved riding a horse of course.

Another one of his jobs was in a riding school. Allan met his wife through his sister, as she was his sister’s best friend. His wife Patricia feared horses, but she posed happily at the riding school with a horse, as she was there to impress Allan, that photo was taken before they were married and before the War started.

So this reflection about horses leads to when the war started, Allan originally joined the 4th Remount Troop with thoughts of horses but in Allans words he said, “All we did was march back and forth while the horses in the paddock laughed at us!” Allan then decided to join the AIF 2/6th Independent Company as they were called originally before being renamed as the 2/6th Cavalry Commando Squadron, then just 2/6th Commando Squadron.

Allan and Patricia married when Allan returned from service overseas for a short leave in 1943. It was a long wait for them both to be able to be together again after the war.

In 1950 they built a war service home in Tranmere (formerly Peckham) in Adelaide on a quarter acre block, and then remained there together until death they did part.

Allan suffered with Malaria and dermatitis, he said it rained for years in the jungle, even so, it never stopped his determination to live life to the fullest.

Allan had many jobs after his war service, he painted ships, worked for E. S Wiggs & son, printers, as an artist, remember those freddo frog cardboard display boxes, yes designed by Allan. He painted homes, many of the large old Tudor homes in the East of Adelaide. He built a shed in his yard that doubled as a stable and kept horses there which his children rode, he made sure all his children were able to ride horses.

Eventually the suburb became so built up that keeping horses at his home was not viable or allowed so the shed turned into Allan the mechanic in the pit, or the car spray painting area while listening to the footy on the radio on Saturdays.

Allan liked to build, he built a granny flat out of Besser bricks in the back yard, he built brick archways and stone retaining walls, he built with wood too, chicken houses an American barn door for the shed as examples.

He also was a good friend and neighbour to the people around him; those were the days when all the kids in the street would pile into the Vanguard Ute and Allan would drive them all to the beach, no seatbelts required. He would do things like; when the Christmas pageant was on, he would take two ladders and a plank into town and set it up like he was going to paint (a ladder each end and the plank horizontal between them) only to offer any child who wanted a good view and placed them to sit along the plank, his own children in the middle.

Allan liked to garden and would share the excess with neighbours, everyone in the street had Satsuma Plums, Loquats, Lemons to name a few and his wife would be busy making jam. Allan and his family could have a meal from the garden as mostly everything was edible.

He loved fishing, driving to random locations, including houses for sale openings just for ideas. He would help all his family including his brother and sister with anything they asked for. Allan also liked to challenge his mind. Crossword puzzles, game shows, cards, were his favourites.

Camping out in the backyard on hot nights where Allan would make sure matresses and mosquito nets and even the TV on the extension cord was outside so everyone could be comfortable.

Rarely was a day where Allan was not busy doing something, even in his older years.  

He also had a very dry, quick wit but often if you were watching carefully, the slight smirk would give it away and then you would realise there was a joke in what he is saying or you just had your leg pulled as they say!

Allan was very humble about his military service, there was mention of sworn to secrecy and he talked little about details. Deep down though the Commando in Allan never left in civilian life, he was always prepared to defend himself, his home and family. 

Service medals;

1939/45 Star

Pacific Star

War Medal

Australian Service Medal

Return from Active Service Badge