Alexander Allen
Alexander Allen, Service No. 3065, was born in Hawthorn in 1896. He enlisted at Melbourne in late December 1915 aged 18 years and 10 months. As his parents were deceased he gave his sister, Olive Allen, as his next of kin. He had spent four years in the Kilmore Senior Cadets and was employed as a labourer, possibly at Bylands with the Stute family.
After a period of training at Broadmeadows Camp he embarked for overseas active duty as a Signaller in March 1916 attached to the 31st Battalion, 5th Reinforcement. He marched in to France in August 1916 and joined his unit at Etaples Base Camp.
In November 1917 Alexander was hospitalised in Liverpool with severe jaundice and again in February 1918 with jaundice & scabies. In July 1918 he was hospitalised in England with a septic knee. Despite these illnesses it is likely that Alexander participated in a number of major offensives with the 31st Battalion, including defence of the Hindenberg Line, the Battle of Polygon Wood, the Second Battle of Bullecourt and the defence of the St. Quentin Canal.
Alexander returned to Australia in September 1919 aboard the “Durham” having served 1352 days, 1225 of them overseas. Alexander was awarded the British War Medal, the 1914/15 Star and the Victory Medal. He is remembered on the Kilmore Honour Roll. No clear information can be found regarding his post-war life, although his military record notes he applied for a war pension in March 1962.
Compiled by Kilmore Historical Society.
Kilmore Historical Society 