Next of kin plaque : Private Robert Beattie Allen, 13th Battalion, AIF

Bronze next of kin plaque, showing on the obverse, Britannia holding a laurel wreath, the British lion, dolphins, a spray of oak leaves and the words 'HE DIED FOR FREEDOM AND HONOUR' around the edge. Beneath the main figures, the British lion defeats the German eagle. The initials 'ECP', for the designer Edward Carter Preston appear above the lion's right forepaw. A raised rectangle above the lion's head bears the name 'ROBERT BEATTIE ALLEN'.

Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Robert Beattie 'Bob' Allen was employed as a labourer when he enlisted in the AIF on 9 July 1915, aged 26. His youger brother, Stephen Charles 'Steve' Allen enlisted nine days later. After initial training both men were posted as privates to the 10th Reinforcements to the 13th Battalion, with consecutive service numbers - 3002 for Steve and 3003 for Bob. The brothers embarked from Sydney on 6 September aboard HMAT A70 Ballarat.

In Egypt they undertook further training before being formally taken on strength with 13th Battalion, where they joined A Company. When the battalion arrived in France in June 1916 the Allen brothers had rarely been apart, separated only for brief periods of training.

On 14 August, while the battalion was in action near Mouquet Farm, the Allen brothers were part of a party of ten men from their company detailed to carry supplies to the front line. They had already made one successful trip down the communication trench known as Tom's Cut. As they neared the front line on their second trip a shell hit the parapet of the trench and exploded killing the Allen brothers, who had been walking one behind the other, outright. Another pair of brothers in the party were wounded, and a third man later died of his wounds. Owing to the crowding in the trench the Allens' bodies were lifted out of it and over the parapet. Their bodies were never recovered for burial and their names are commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.

This commemorative plaque was sent to Stephen's widowed mother, Hester, in March 1922.