Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Allan Francis Pritchard was born on the 17th of February 1913 in Mount Gambier, South Australia. Prior to joining the Army, he worked as a transport driver. He and his family were members of the Church of England.

Allan Pritchard enlisted for service of the Australian Army on the 17 March 1941, at the age of 28. Allan had his next of kin first listed as his father, Robert Percy Pritchard but was later changed to his wife, Enid Pritchard.

His enlistment was finalised on the 24th of March 1941 at Wayville, SA, and on the same day Allan first reported for duty. He started at the Recruitment Reception Details Depot and was later placed at the 13th Field Battery Training Battalion and sometime after this, he transferred to the 2/7th Field Regiment. In July of 1941 Allan took special leave for 3 days to marry Enid.

Allan’s first embarkation was to the Middle East which he left for on the 17th of September 1941, and it took around a month of travel until he arrived in Dimra, Palestine on the 20th of October 1941. Two days after his arrival in the Middle East he contracted the Mumps and was evacuated to the 1st Australian General Hospital to receive treatment. On the 4th of November 1941 he was discharged to the 1st Australian Convalescent Depot to fully recover. Allan was unfortunate to later contract tonsilitis in the following year and was evacuated to the 3rd New Zealand General Hospital where he stayed for 10 days until discharge on the 24th of June 1942 to which he then returned to his unit. On the 31st of January 1943 Allan embarked on the L4 to travel back to Melbourne, and he arrived on the 25th of February 1943.

Once Allan arrived back to Australia, he detached for duty with the 2 Australian Corps in Queensland for two months and rejoined his unit on the 29th of October 1943. He was then evacuated to the 52 Camp Hospital due to an ‘Error of Refraction’ and was later assessed as having defective vision.

On the 24th July 1944, Allan was charged with the offence of ‘failing to appear at the place of parade appointed by his Captain’. He was subsequently fined 2 days' pay.

In August of 1944 Allan was evacuated to the 2/1 Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) after being diagnosed with Scabies. A day later on August 16th, he was evacuated from the CCS and taken to the 2/6 Australian General Hospital where he remained until he was Taken on Strength 4 days later and rejoined with his unit.

After his time of serving 1690 days of active service, Allan Francis Pritchard was discharged on the 7th of November 1945 and returned to his home in Somerton Park to be with his wife Enid.

Allan lived to the age of 97 and passed away on the 14th of May 2010. He is buried at Centennial Park, South Australia.