Alfred Alex Allen (1911 - 1942)

Born 2 May 1911 in Carlton, Victoria, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 31 in At Sea

Biography

Alfred Allen was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Alfred Allen died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Alfred was born in 1911 at Carlton, VIC. His parents were Alfred ALLEN and Lillis May SMITH.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Caulfield, VIC on 10 Jun 1940 as a Private (VX24385). At the time he was single, a plastic moulder and was living at Caulfield. He had brown hair and light brown eyes.

He was posted to 2/22nd Bn on 31 Jul 1940.

Probably on 21 Dec 1940 he married Elizabeth Alice Fenton in Victoria.

He entrained in Victoria on 11 Mar 1941 for Sydney where he embarked on the HMAT "Katoomba" for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea on 12 Mar 1941, disembarking on 28 Mar 1941. His battalion was the core of "Lark Force", sent to protect the Territory.

After the Japanese invaded New Britain on 23 Jan 1942 he was captured at Kokopo hosptital and became a Prisoner of War. Japanese records show him as part of C Coy. He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

Sources

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 9769 / 1911; Family name: ALLEN; Given name(s): Alfred; Place of event: CARLTON, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Lillis May; Mother's family name at birth: SMITH; Father's Name: Alfred

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - ALLEN ALFRED : Service Number - VX24385 : Date of birth - 02 May 1911 : Place of birth - CARLTON VIC : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - ALLEN E - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6227019

• Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Event: marriages; Registration number: 17899 / 1940; Family name: ALLEN; Given name(s): Alfd Alex; Personal detail Spouse's family name: FENTON; Spouse's given name(s): Eliz Alice

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, December 5). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 7. Retrieved January 29, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205640816

• In Memoriam On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, December 8). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 12. Retrieved January 29, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205653548

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1696829

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2615311/alfred-allen/

See also:

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/617946
• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial (https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/ : accessed 7 Mar 2024) database entry for Alfred Allen