The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (984) Private Charles Henry Allen, 10th Battalion (Infantry), 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 Charis May, the story for this day was on (984) Private Charles Henry Allen, 10th Battalion (Infantry), First World War.

984 Private Charles Henry Allen, 10th Battalion
KIA 19 May 1915
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 8 October 2013

Today, we remember and pay tribute to Private Charles Henry Allen.

Charley Allen was born and raised in Booleroo Centre in rural South Australia. Six months after he moved to Broken Hill to work on the BHP smelters, war broke out in Europe. Allen became the first man from the Booleroo district to volunteer for the Australian Imperial Force when he travelled to Port Pirie to enlist within weeks of the outbreak of war.

Recommended as a good shot by Booleroo Rifle Club, Allen was posted to the 10th Battalion and left for Egypt in October. From there he went to Gallipoli, and was with his battalion for the dawn landing where he did "wonderful work". He was one of the battalion's snipers, and also participated in valuable reconnoitring work.

On the evening of 18 May, the commander of the 10th Battalion received a message from his brigadier to say that the Turks had landed a division of new troops, and that the Australians were in danger of being attacked. This intelligence proved accurate, because at 3 am the following morning the Turks "attacked in great force". However, the attack failed, as they were mown down by Australian rifle and machine-gun fire, and only three actually made it as far as the Australian parapet. The 10th Battalion war diary records that, "considering the numbers who attacked ... losses were very light". Ten men were killed that day in defence of the 10th Battalion position.

Private Charles Henry Allen was one of them. He was shot through the head and, briefly exclaiming, "Oh!" he fell dead. His close mate, Private Ralph Field, wrote to his parents that he "was an example to the battalion in his living & as a soldier the Battalion had no equal. He was a credit to his Empire, a credit to Australia, and a credit to you".

Allen had written to his parents before leaving for the Dardanelles, telling them not to worry about him. If the worst came, he wrote, they "would know that he died fighting for his King and Country, and he did not think he could die better". Charles Allen was buried in Shrapnel Valley Cemetery at Gallipoli. He was just 19 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.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Charles Henry Allen, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.