Brown leather purse : Private S C Allen, 13 Battalion, AIF

Personal effects consisting of two purses, two coins and an identity disc. The small, brown leather purse has a top flap and space to hold six coins. It contains an ancient Roman coin and an Egyptian or Turkish coin dated '1325'.

This leather purse was among the personal effects returned to the Allen family after the death of Stephen and his brother Robert Allen. Born at Balmain, NSW in 1893 Stephen Charles Allen was working as a carter when he enlisted with his brother Robert Beattie Allen, on 18 July 1915.

3002 Private S C Allen and his brother 3003 Private R B Allen were both allocated to the 10th Reinforcements to the 13th Battalion and embarked from Sydney on board A70 HMAT Ballarat on 6 September 1915. Known as 'Steve' to his mates, Private Allen joined the 13th Battalion in Egypt in February 1916 and arrived with his unit in France in June of that year.

Just weeks later, on 14 August 1916, the 13th Battalion was engaged in the heavy fighting for Mouquet Farm near Pozieres. Stephen and Robert Allen were together on a fatigue party, carrying supplies to their battalion, when they were killed by the same artillery shell during a heavy German barrage. Stephen was 24 years old. Robert was 27.