The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (301) Captain Angus Sutherland Allen MC, 4th Battalion, AIF, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Gerard Pratt, the story for this day was on (301) Captain Angus Sutherland Allen MC, 4th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

301 Captain Angus Sutherland Allen MC, 4th Battalion, AIF
DOW 21 July, 1918
Photograph: P05413.003

Story delivered 21 July 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Captain Angus Sutherland Allen MC.

Angus Allen was born on 21 April 1896 at Moruya, New South Wales, to Victor Franklin Allen, a bank manager, and Euphemia Sutherland. He attended Petersham Superior Public School and served in the junior cadets. In April 1911 he was a member of the unofficial cadet contingent sent to London to attend the coronation of King George V. After returning to Australia he completed his schooling and went to work as a bank clerk.

When the First World War began Allen was among the first to rally to the colours. Aged 19, he joined the newly raised 4th Battalion and was posted to F Company. After training he embarked for Egypt with his battalion aboard the transport ship Euripides. Arriving in December, the men of the 4th Battalion went into camp at Mena and continued to train for war on the Western Front.

In 1915 Allen transferred to the 4th Battalion signals section, and landed with them on Gallipoli on 25 April. He remained on the peninsula throughout the campaign and took part in all the 4th Battalion’s actions, including the battle of Lone Pine. He was promoted to lance corporal in October, and left with the withdrawal in December.

In March 1916 Allen was promoted to temporary corporal and sailed with the 4th Battalion to France to join the war on the Western Front. The battalion’s first major battle was in the brutal fighting at Pozières.

That August Allen was commissioned as a second lieutenant. His battalion spent the rest of the year in and out of the front lines, enduring the harshest winter on record. On New Year’s Day 1917 Allen was promoted to lieutenant. After taking part in the failed Second Battle of Bullecourt, Allen was detached in mid-July from the 4th Battalion and sent to England, where he joined the 1st Training Battalion. He returned to the 4th Battalion in January 1918.

In April the 4th Battalion was rushed to Strazeele to help stem the German Spring Offensive. For his actions Allen was awarded the Military Cross, the citation for which reads:

Lieutenant Allen displayed great gallantry and devotion to duty … he established an outpost prior to the attack and though heavily shelled remained at his post and reported valuable information. Throughout, he made constant reconnaissance of the battalion front, and although frequently subjected to heavy shell- and machine-gun fire, never failed to keep the Battalion well posted with information. He personally sniped two of the enemy and so successfully organised his snipers that at least 25 of the enemy were accounted for.

In late June Allen was promoted to temporary captain and given command of D Company. On 11 July, following a successful raid, he was hit in the abdomen and wrist by machine-gun fire while in the Australian front line. He was taken to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Ebblingham, but his condition deteriorated and he died ten days later. He was buried in Longuenesse St. Omer Souvenir Cemetery. He was 22 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. His photograph is displayed today by the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Captain Angus Sutherland Allen MC, and all the Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section

Sources
National Archives of Australia, service record, Angus Suterland Allen.

Trove: Coronation Cadets 21 April 1911

4th Battalion War Diary, April 1915 to July 1918, Australian War Memorial.