Allen, Charles (Private b.1907 - d.1969)

Accession Number AWM2016.448.1
Collection type Private Record
Record type Collection
Measurement Extent: 2.5 cm; Wallet/s: 1
Object type Diary
Maker Allen, Charles
Place made Japan, Singapore: Changi
Date made 1938-1945
Access Open
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Description

Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX77652 Private Charles Allen, D Company, 2/19 Australian Infantry Battalion. Allen was captured in Singapore and sent to Japan as a Prisoner of War (POW).

The collection consists of four notebook diaries.

The first is a black covered notebook used as diary with a folding pocket inside cover. The diary records Allen's enlistment in Sydney in December 1941, arrival in Singapore on 24th January 1942, and capture and imprisonment three weeks later. Allen is taken to Changi POW camp. He records conditions, executions, Malay words, names, addresses and personal notes.

The second diary is a maroon coloured notebook ('lately belonging to the Singapore Museum') used as diary. It begins at No 1 Adam Park camp, Singapore in October 1942. The diary records Allen's transfer by sea to Japan and arrival at Camp 3 Kobe. Entries record freezing conditions and monotonous work at Kawasaki Camp shipyards in Kobe. Allen describes meagre rations, his weight, sickness and death in the camp and Japanese guard brutality. Diary ends late 1943.

The third diary is a small spiral bound 'Spring Memorand Book' used as diary. This begins in late 1943 and records rations, number of men in Kawasaki camp and conditions.

The fourth diary is a blue 'Bayer Agenda 1938' diary and covers the period 1944-1945. This diary includes building and house plans, draft letters home, and ideas about work, life and business post-war. The main body of the diary records daily life in the Kawasaki Camp, work in the shipyards, food and conditions. After 2 years and 5 months he is moved to Mining Camp 26 somewhere on the 'South Island'. From May 1945 he describes frequent air raid alarms. He does not record either of the atomic bomb blasts in August 1945, and is not aware that the war has finished until 16th August. His camp receives a parachute drop of POW supplies on the 28th August, and they finally entrain to leave Japan on 19th September. Allen observes the total destruction of Nagasaki before boarding a ship for Manila. He is flown home to Sydney on a B24 arriving October 1945, his total period as a POW 3 years and 6 months.