Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ernest, known as Ern was born and lived most of his life in the mining town of Broken Hill. He was the oldest son with six siblings, five sisters, Mary, Nellie, Veronica Jessie and Dorothy and Alfred. From his teenage years, he had ‘adult’ responsibilities when he married local born Dorris Ellen Macklin with the two having a young daughter, Marlene in ‘36. Sadly, 26-year-old Dorris died at home in December 1938, and was buried in the Anglican section D of the Broken Hill Cemetery. Such was the friendship between Doris and Ada Lillie Morris who had married at a similar time, Ada also placed a tribute to Doris in the local Barrier Miner. Ern’s parents, particularly his mother, Veronica Emma Allen immediately stepped in to support 19-year-old Ern in bringing up Marlene.
Eighteen months later, with a huge program underway in country regions targeting fit healthy young country men to enlist for WWII, 21-year-old Ern heeded that call. He had been working as a labourer in the mines, but work was not always consistent so enlisting would give him the opportunity for regular work and to escape from the grief associated with loss of his wife. He enlisted on the 26th June ’40, initially nominating his small daughter as his next of kin and his mother as an allotted guardian. At the time, the local Barrier Miner newspaper produced an article regretfully noting the reduction of enlistees, highlighting that several naturalised, single Italians had already applied. A further call was made to the Broken Hill young men with the comment that "Surely young Australia is not going to allow us the fate of France without offering to make a fight of it!" On the 1st July, Ern was one of ten men who left ‘The Hill’ on the evening express for the Wayville reception depot. Of these, Edward Hanlon SX7681, Samuel Harris SX7687, Samuel Smith SX5991, Frederick Perry SX7641 and Ern were all allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion.
Ern was given the number SX7655. He and his fellow enlistees were initially housed in the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, before heading to Woodside in the Adelaide Hills to continue their training. Following pre-embarkation leave, Ern sailed on the Stratheden on the 17th November, arriving in the Middle East on the 7th December. Early in May the following year, he sustained an accidental injury to his right arm, receiving several weeks of treatment but just four months after was again being treated for a dislocated collarbone. The cause of both was not documented, despite contributing to Ern receiving care for a number of weeks and eventually being adjudged as ‘fit for duties other than those with field formations’. This prognosis eventually resulted in him having time with the Infantry Special Group prior to returning to Australia.
Finally back in Sydney, in ’43, Ern formally left the 2/48th Battalion for the Australian Postal Unit as a result of his ongoing challenge with the effective functioning of his shoulder. That year he married for a second time to Eve (known as Eva) on the 27th September ’43, just days after his discharge on the 24th. The newly married couple returned to Broken Hill where Ern again worked in the mines. Unfortunately, his run of injuries continued, with conditions in the mines still not having high worker safety. In August the following year, Ern sustained a fracture to his wrist working in the North Mine. Two years later a further injury occurred when he lacerated his forearm, again whilst working in the Thompson’s section of the North Mine.
With the war successfully over Ern’s parents and their granddaughter, Marlene placed a tribute to Ern’s first wife, Dorris in December ’47 in the local paper, the Barrier Miner. ‘ALLEN.—In loving memory of Doris, who passed away December 28, 1938. Sadly missed by her mother-in-law and father-in-law and daughter Marlene.’ Marlene’s seventeenth birthday in ’53, was celebrated with Ern and Eva and a group of young friends at the Grand Hotel.
Eva pre-deceased Ern and died on the 26th January 1992. Aged 87, Ern died on the 17th July 2006. They now both rest in the same grave at Broken Hill Cemetery in the General Section 3, Row 22, Plot 4.
Tribute researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes, SX8133 2/48th Battalion.