Service number | NX2 |
---|---|
Ranks Held | Captain, Commandant, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Brigadier, Major General |
Birth Date | 1894-03-10 |
Birth Place | Australia: New South Wales, Sydney, Hurstville |
Death Date | 1959-01-25 |
Death Place | Australia: New South Wales, Sydney, Concord |
Final Rank | Major General |
Service | Australian Imperial Force |
Units |
|
Places | |
Conflicts/Operations |
|
Gazettes |
Published in London Gazette in 1941-04-01 Published in London Gazette in 1917-08-25 Published in London Gazette in 1917-12-28 Published in London Gazette in 1941-12-30 Published in London Gazette in 1941-07-08 Published in London Gazette in 1919-01-07 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1918-04-18 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1917-12-20 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-05-23 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1944-11-23 |
Major General Arthur Samuel 'Tubby' Allen
Arthur Allen was born on 10 March 1894 at Hurstville, Sydney. He attended Hurstville Superior Public School before gaining work as an audit clerk with the New South Wales Government Railways. He also joined the cadets and then the 39th Battalion of the Australian Military Forces.
He was commissioned in 1913 and appointed to the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 24 June 1915. He embarked for Egypt with reinforcements for the 13th Battalion in August. In March 1916 he was promoted to captain and assigned to the 45th Battalion. Allen arrived in France on 8 June 1916 and fought at Pozieres in August. He remained in the front line on the Somme into 1917 and led his men through the battle of Messines in June. His leadership amidst heavy losses earned Allen the Distinguished Service Order and a promotion to major in July. He continued to lead men in combat, at Dernancourt in April 1918 and then as a lieutenant colonel in charge of the 48th Battalion at Monument Wood.
In June 1918 Allen went to England to attend the senior officers' course at Aldershot. Less than two weeks after the war ended Allen, aged 24, was promoted to lieutenant colonel and given command of the 13th Battalion. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for his service on the Western Front; his appointment with the AIF ended on 10 November 1919.
He became an accountant after the war and in December 1921 married Agnes Blair. Allen remained active in the militia and his accounting career continued parallel to his military career. In 1933 he became a full colonel in charge of the 14th Brigade. Five years later, in 1938, he became a brigadier and in October 1939 was given command of the 16th Brigade in the AIFï's 6th Division. His experience of battle informed his leadership and his rotund stature earned him the nickname 'Tubby'.
By 1940 Allen was in the Middle East and his brigade fought at Bardia and Tobruk. In March he left North Africa for the ill-fated Greek campaign, for which he was awarded the Greek Military Cross. His next campaign, in command of the 7th Division against the Vichy French in Syria, was more successful and he was promoted to general in August 1941. He returned to Australia in March 1942 and in August took charge of operations against the Japanese advance on Port Moresby. Again successful, Allen nevertheless came under what many consider unfair criticism from American General Douglas MacArthur and Australian General Thomas Blamey for moving too slowly in pursuit of the Japanese across the Owen Stanley ranges. He was relieved of his command on 29 October. Lesser appointments followed but in October 1944 Blamey recommended Allen be appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
After the war Allen became a senior partner in a Sydney accountancy firm. He died in January 1959 and was given a military funeral before being cremated. He was survived by his wife and two sons.
Rolls
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- 45th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Commandant
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- 45th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Major
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- 45th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- 38th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Lieutenant
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 16th Australian Infantry Brigade
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
- Rank
- Brigadier
- London Gazette
- 30 December 1941 on page 7357 at position 2
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- 45th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 45th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
- London Gazette
- 25 August 1917 on page 8803 at position 1
- Commonwealth Gazette
- 20 December 1917 on page 3379 at position 32
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- 45th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Captain
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
-
First World War Nominal Roll:
- Unit
- 13th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Lieutenant Colonel
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 16th Australian Infantry Brigade
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
- Rank
- Brigadier
- London Gazette
- 01 April 1941 on page 1865 at position 1
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 45th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Major
- London Gazette
- 28 December 1917 on page 13565 at position 93
- Commonwealth Gazette
- 18 April 1918 on page 843 at position 23
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- 38th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Lieutenant
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 45th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Major
- London Gazette
- 07 January 1919 on page 312 at position 1
- Commonwealth Gazette
- 23 May 1919 on page 893 at position 6
-
First World War Embarkation Roll:
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Lieutenant
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 16th Australian Infantry Brigade
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
- Rank
- Major General
- Commonwealth Gazette
- 23 November 1944 on page 2607 at position 21
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Unit
- 38th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- First World War, 1914-1918
- Rank
- Lieutenant
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 16th Australian Infantry Brigade
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
- Rank
- Brigadier
- London Gazette
- 08 July 1941 on page 3881 at position 1
Timeline
Date of birth | 10 March 1894 | Hurstville, New South Wales. |
---|---|---|
Date commissioned | 1913 | |
Date and unit at appointment (Officers) | 24 June 1915 | Appointed to the Australian Imperial Force as a second lieutenant. |
Date of enlistment | 24 June 1915 | |
Date of embarkation | 09 August 1915 | Embarked for Eygpt with reinforcements for the 13th Battalion. |
Other units | 1915-10-23 - 1916-03-02 | 13th Battalion. |
Date promoted | 01 February 1916 | Appointed lieutenant. |
Date promoted | 1916-03-02 - 1917-09-25 | Appointed capatain and assigned to the 45th Battalion. |
Other | 08 June 1916 | Arrived in France. |
Other | 1916-08 | Fought at Pozieres. |
Other | 1917-06 | Led his men through the Battle of Messines. |
Date of recommendation honour or award | 14 June 1917 | |
Date promoted | 1917-07 | Appointed major. |
Date of recommendation honour or award | 06 July 1917 | |
Date of honour or award | 25 August 1917 | Distinguished Service Order, for leadership amidst heavy loses at the battle of Messines. |
Other units | 1917-09-25 - 1918-01-10 | Temporary Commanding Officer of 45th Battalion. |
Other units | 1918-01-10 - 1918-01-25 | Temporary Commanding Officer of 48th Battalion. |
Other units | 1918-01-25 - 1918-02-27 | 45th Battalion. |
Other units | 1918-02-27 - 1918-04-19 | Temporary Commanding Officer of 45th Battalion. |
Date of honour or award | 18 April 1918 | Mention in Despatches. |
Date promoted | 19 April 1918 | Appointed temporary lieutenant colonel. |
Other units | 1918-04-19 - 1918-06-29 | Temporary Commanding Officer of 48th Battalion. |
Date of recommendation honour or award | 08 May 1918 | |
Other units | 1918-06-29 - 1918-10-04 | Senior Officers School, Aldershot. |
Date of recommendation honour or award | 17 September 1918 | |
Date of recommendation honour or award | 27 September 1918 | |
Other units | 1918-10-04 - 1918-11-20 | 48th Battalion. |
Date promoted | 20 November 1918 | Appointed lieutenant colonel and commanding officer of the 13th Battalion. |
Date of honour or award | 07 January 1919 | French Croix de Guerre, for his service on the Western Front. |
Date returned to Australia | 23 July 1919 | |
Date of discharge | 10 November 1919 | Appointment with the Australian Imperial Force ended, however Allen remained active in the militia. |
Date promoted | 1933 | Became full colonel in charge of the 14th Brigade. |
Date promoted | 1938 | Appointed brigadier. |
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs) | 13 October 1939 | Enlisted in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force. |
Date promoted | 13 October 1939 | Given command of the 16th Brigade, 6th Division, AIF. |
Other | 1940 | Active service in the Middle East. |
Date of honour or award | 01 April 1941 | Commander of the Order of the British Empire. |
Date of honour or award | 08 July 1941 | Companion of the Order of the Bath |
Date promoted | 1941-08 | Promoted to general. |
Date of honour or award | 30 December 1941 | Mention in Despatches. |
Date returned to Australia | 1942-03 | |
Other | 1942-08 | Active service in Port Morseby, New Guinea. |
Other | 29 October 1942 | Relieved of his command. |
Date of honour or award | 23 November 1944 | Greek War Cross - First Class. |
Date of discharge | 03 April 1945 | |
Date of death | 25 January 1959 | Concord, Sydney, New South Wales. |
Related information
Units
Places
Subjects
Related Objects
- SYDNEY - AN OFFICER BRIG A.S. ALLEN, 16TH BDE. SALUTES AS THE TROOPS PASS THE SALUTING BASE. ...
- COLOMBO - THE G.O.C. PAYS A VISIT TO THE TROOPSHIP EMPRESS OF JAPAN. L TO R: LT. COL. MALE ...
- COLOMBO - LEFT, BRIG. ALLEN TALKING TO LT. COL. LOVERIDGE (A.S.C.) AND O.C. OF U.1. (EMPRESS OF ...
- MIDDLE EAST - ANTHONY EDEN TALKS TO BRIG ALLEN O.C. AUSTRALIAN TROOPS. ARMY. DISEMBARKATION.
- GAZA RIDGE - BRIG. ALLEN AND MASSEUSES - L TO R: A.L. MCGARRITY, S. OGILVY, BRIG. J. BLACK, J. ...
- GAZA RIDGE - HOSPITAL DEPT. MATRON (FALLON) MRS. ALLEN, BRIG. ALLEN. THE BRIGADIER PAID AN ...
- QASTINA. OFFICERS MESS, BRIG. ALLEN, COL. VASEY, GEN. GIFFARD. (NEGATIVE BY D. PARER).
- QASTINA. GENERAL GIFFARD AND BRIG. ALLEN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR INFORMAL VISIT. (NEGATIVE BY D. ...
- QASTINA. BRIG. ALLEN AT 6TH DIVISION H.Q'S. (NEGATIVE BY D. PARER).
- QASTINA. BRIG. ALLEN AND COL. VASEY. (NEGATIVE BY D. PARER).