The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (QX32843) Private Allen Vincent Charles Hurlock, 2/14th Battalion, AIF, Second 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 Greg Kimball, the story for this day was on (QX32843) Private Allen Vincent Charles Hurlock, 2/14th Battalion, AIF, Second World War.

QX32843 Private Allen Vincent Charles Hurlock, 2/14th Battalion, AIF
KIA 22 November 1942

Story delivered 12 September 2017

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Allen Vincent Charles Hurlock.

Allen Hurlock was born in January 1917, the eldest of five children of Allen and Maud Hurlock of Kupunn near Dalby in southern Queensland. Known to family and friends as “Vince”, he attended state school at Kupunn before working as a farm labourer on the family property, and was “very popular” in the surrounding district.

Vince’s brother Edward had enlisted in the army and was taken prisoner by the Japanese when Singapore fell in February 1942. According to his family, Vince enlisted in June 1942 to avenge his brother’s capture. After some months of training he sailed for Port Moresby, and in late September was sent to reinforce the Australians fighting in the Owen Stanley Ranges. The 2/14th Battalion had begun the Kokoda campaign less than a month earlier with 546 men, but by late September was left with just 88. The battalion was so weak at this time that it had been amalgamated with the 2/16th to form a composite battalion.

After a period of rest and retraining, the 2/14th returned to the fighting as a functioning battalion, although its strength numbered just 341 men. The campaign in Papua soon turned in the Allies’ favour, as the Japanese, having exhausted their supplies, began to fall back towards their beachheads on the northern coast. Along with the rest of the 21st Brigade, the 2/14th Battalion was sent to capture the Japanese beachhead at Gona after being air lifted to Popondetta. The battalion met stiff Japanese resistance on 29 November when it assaulted well-concealed fighting positions, losing 13 men killed and 23 wounded. Further attacks continued in the days afterwards as the battalion pushed through to the beach and secured over a kilometre of shoreline from the Japanese.

Hurlock was listed as missing following these operations, and was later confirmed as having been killed in action at Gona. Aged 25 at the time of his death, he is buried at the Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, under the small epitaph: “Too dearly loved to be forgotten”.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among some 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Allen Vincent Charles Hurlock, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Aaron Pegram Historian, Military History Section