ALLEN, Harry Raymond
| Service Number: | VX24799 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 May 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Pakenham, Victoria, Australia, 20 May 1907 |
| Home Town: | Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Painter and Decorator |
| Died: | Execution, Ambon, Ambon, Netherlands East Indies, 15 February 1942, aged 34 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ambon War Cemetery, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Private, VX24799 | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 May 1940: | Enlisted Private, VX24799, 2nd/21st Infantry Battalion | |
| 10 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX24799 | |
| 13 Dec 1941: | Embarked Darwin. Disembarked Ambon. | |
| 20 Jan 1942: | Involvement VX24799, Ambon, Missing | |
| 24 Nov 1945: | Imprisoned Missing. Believed dec.LAHA GARR | |
| 1 Mar 1946: | Imprisoned Died whilst Prisoner of War. Executed by Japanese. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by David Sinclair
Harry Allen was the son of Frank and Jessie(nee Waters) He was born in Pakenham fifty kms South east of Melbourne. They later moved to Melbourne,living at South Yarra.
Frank was living at Windsor and working as a painter and decorator when at the age of thirty three he enlisted in the 2nd AIF.
He became a member of the ill fated 2/21st battalion, part of the 23rd brigade in the 8th division, later known as Gull Force. After attending Infantry Training Depot No 3 and more training in the Northern Territory, he spent twenty days in 119 AGH at Adelaide River with an infected leg. This hospital was the only one of its kind in Australia, being completely under canvas.
He embarked from Darwin on 13/12/41 arriving in Ambon three days later. Gull Force was sent to Ambon to defend the islands harbour and airstrip, and to reinforce the 2800 Dutch troops already stationed there. They numbered 1131 men and were split into two groups. 292 were sent to defend the airstrip at Laha. Harry was in this group. In January 1942 a Japanese force far superior in numbers and with far greater sea and air power landed on the island. (See links) Of the 292 men at Laha 47 were killed in action, 11 escaped, 5 joined the force on the other side of the island and 229 were massacred after surrendering.
Harry is reported as missing on 2/2/42 and his date of death is listed as 15/2/1942. He is buried in the Ambon War Cemetery
Info from vwm. 2/21st Battalion assoc. wikipedia
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