ALLEN, Joseph Lowe - 2826

Pte Joseph Lowe Allen
Conflict	World War 1
Service Arm	Australian Imperial Force
Unit	5th Pioneer Battalion, 6 Reinforcement; 30th Infantry Battalion
Service No.	2826
Date of Birth	21 February 1898
Birthplace	Toronto, Canada
Residence	Cottesloe, Perth, WA
Date of Death	17 July 1971
Relatives	Father - Joseph Allen; Mother - Sarah Alice Lowe;

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Attestation and casualty documents

Diary, written while in France, first entry 28th January 1918

Volume II France 28/1/1918

No 2826
Pte J L Allen
C Coy
5 Pioneer Battalion
France
A.I.F.
Today we were inspected by G.O.G. and looked pretty good with everything cleaned and polished. Going up the line in three days time. Good weather.
Miss A R Campbell
'Happy Valley'
Onslow Road,
Marracoonda via Katanning

J Flynn
Commercial Hotel
Meekatharra

J Maloney
April Reinfs
1st ANZAC Tunnl. Coy

31st
Shifted camp from Samer to Dranoutre most of the way by train and a march of 4 Kms after detraining.
1st Feb
Nothing doing today, except improving our billets.
2 Feb
Went for a route march in morning, after which we had Lewis Gun instruction.
3 Feb
Sunday, we were reorganised. I being shifted from L.G. section into no 1, a bayonet fighter section. In the afternoon I went down to the 11th Battalion and saw some mates who were in the 20/11 with me after which I caught a motor back. Fritz was over bombing last night but did no good.
4 Feb
Went to YMCA concert and viewed one of the roughest shows on record.
5 Feb
Today we were issued with more clothing and I tried to get a pair of boots to fit me. After visiting D.A.D.O.S. couple of times there was nothing doing until tomorrow. Went to pictures at night.
6 Feb
Under a Tommy S Major bayonet instructor and enjoy it.
13 Feb
Big bombardment up the line, must be a bit of a ‘hop over’ or raid. Went up to a concert at YMCA and enjoyed myself.
14th Feb
Today we had some range practice with Lewis gun and rifle. This is the first I have had and found that the Lewis Machine Gun is one of the easiest to shoot out of.
16 Feb
While we were on parade this morning an enemy plane flew over our heads pursued by one of ours and eventually was forced down a mile away.
17 Feb
Being a Sunday I went out to the Battalion to see my mates only to find that they had gone on Blighty leave a few days ago.
18th Feb
Payday and went asleep about 2.30am. Nuff said.
19 Feb
Today 9 of us were picked out for a special guard at Divsl H.Q. and I had enough of saluting and presenting arms in half an hour to last me a life time.
21st Feb
My birthday (20). Did not celebrate it.
26th Feb
Received two parcels from Aussie. One from Mum and one from Edie. We scrubbed and blancoed our equipment.
27th Feb
We were polishing the brass on our gear when orders were given that we are to shift camp tomorrow; exactly where to we do not yet know but hope it will not be too far.
20th March
Awakened in middle of the night and told to proceed on 14 days leave to Blighty. Could not sleep for thinking about it.
21st March
Cleaned my clothes and after receiving my pass caught motor lorry at Dranoutre and caught the train from Bailleul to Calais. We were shelled from Bailleul to Hazelbrouck. While we were in the rest camp at Calais we had to suffer bombing by Fritz; had the wind up properly.
22nd March
Caught the leave boat from Calais to Dover and disembarking at the latter place caught a train to Victoria Station where we went to Horseferry Road H.Q. and were issued with a bath and clothing then drew £14 and put up at the War Chest where I had a couple of good feeds.
23rd March
Woke up to find myself between white sheets and did not like getting out of bed but eventually had to and went to a good breakfast. Afterwards we went for a drive around London and saw the principal sights.
24th March
Went out around London again and saw Petticoat Lane etc. That evening we went to Colliseum.
26th March
Went to 'Cheating Cheaters'at The Strand. Not bad either.
27th March
Took the tube at St James Park to Euston, had my pass altered to Manchester, and left by 11.45.
28th March
Arrived at Manchester 6 o.c. and put up at Y.M.C.A. While in the lounge I met a decent sort of Tommy and that evening we went to the Hippodrome.
29th March
Met the Tommy again and whilst we were sitting in the Y.M.C.A. his sister came to say a telegram had arrived to recall him. We went to his home where I spent a real good time.
30th March
Miss Puday and I went out to a fair, which proved rather interesting.
31st March
We went to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens and enjoyed ourselves.
3 April
Left Manchester by 10.30 with a sorry heart and arrived at London about 4.30.
4th April
Left London and arrived at Dover and embarked for Calais where we landed and went to the rest camp.
10th April
We stayed six days at Calais and on the 7th entrained for Candos where nobody knows anything about us and we put in a cold night.
11th April
Shifted to an aerodrome and put in a night.
12th April
Marched from Vignacourt to Franvillers where we were on fatigue pulling down tents.
13th April
Left Vignacourt for Brucha__ where the 5th Divvy wing was, to find that we could get nothing to eat and were told to 'doss' anywhere. We found a bit of hay and slept on it.
14th April
We left Brucha__ at 630 and arrived at 5th D.H.Q. and were duly installed in the platoon once more.
15th April
Went on Lewis gun on guard against enemy aircraft.
16th April
Did a little drill in the afternoon and went hare shooting afterwards, got nothing but this sort of life will do me.
17th April
We had a couple of hours drill in the morning and found some of us very rusty when revision took place.
18th April
Raining like one thing. Our battalion shifted down near D.H.Q. at Bussy and dug in on the bank.
20th April
Went over to see the mob. Hasbin, Noeux-les-Mines LOOS.
22nd April
Our section on the green and my post was from 8 to 10pm. An aeroplane that had been over to Amiens on a bombing raid was caught in the searchlights. Instantly we all opened up with 'Archies' and Lewis Guns but he got away. It is a pretty sight to see the tracer bullets going up through the air on a dark night.
23rd April
On post from 4 to 6am and Fritz tried to break.

Diary, written while in France, first entry 8th May 1918

8th of May
The last day that the platoon will drill together and we had to go over to 15th Brigade school to give demonstrations of various kinds of drill etc and at the finish Genrl Hobbs made a present of a shield to 7th Battalion won by them at Thiepval in June last year.
9th May
Put our gear together, had our photos taken and said goodbye and said good luck to the boys and departed to our battalion. Soldier again.
10th May
Did nothing much today except to grind about 20 axes and in the afternoon as it was fairly warm I indulged in a swim the first of this year.
11th May
Went out to work with a party to dig a strong-post. These are placed in suitable places all over the country and present a formidable face to the enemy. Must be soft as I was pretty tired by the time we got back to camp. The dugouts of our lads about here are very comfortable and picturesque owing to the people having to leave Villers-Bretoneux and Corbie. Nearly all of our 'homes' are lined with white sheets, and a large mirror adorns one side while alarm clocks are numerous; the beds are composed of capoc or feather with a nice quilt over everything. Civilian clothes, books, hats and fancy waistcoats are to be seen everywhere.
15th May
Put in with a gun class just going through and had a bit of shooting.
17th May
Have to start again with a gun section in no 10 platoon, a good start.
19th May
Shelled close by A Coy and bombed all over the place during the night. We had 7 casualties. Shellfire. About 30 men went away gassed in Corbie.
20th May
Fritz has the range of our dugouts and subjected us to some shrapnel, very unpleasant.
18th August
After leaving Bussy we went to __ and three days running we were subjected to constant shelling sustaining casualties our work was road patrolling to supports in day time and up further in night time. After a short period there we moved to Ribemont on July 9th where we occupied some trenches worked at night in the saps good job until Morlancourt stunt where we had to hop over with the infantry and dig a sap back to our old line and in doing this we had casualties. We then moved back to Bussy for a few days until the 7th of August when we were told that we were to take part in the advance on the 8th. That night we moved up behind Villers-Bretonneux and camped under the stars. Cold as charity. Next morning as soon as our bombardment commenced we moved up to our old line to prepare Peronne Road for traffic of armoured cars etc. Worked hard all day, our progress wonderful, prisoners coming in galore. German dead in numbers and land mines everywhere. The days of that advance we lived in Fritz's old line until 17th when we moved up to near our advanced line in front of captured old 5.g.s.
21st August
The last two or three days we put in on forward road making them fit for traffic by filling in shellholes. Our camp is in amongst a lot of batteries 5.g.s 15 pdrs and 4.5s and has been subjected to some shelling, a great amount of German stuff has been left.
22nd August
Last night we moved from our camp to no. 4 post about 10 kilos. This morning I indulged in a swim. Rifle inspection this afternoon.
24th August
Last night Fritz was over bombing. Heavy bombardment commenced about __a.m. and finished about 9.30am. Our chaps still pushing him. We expect to move up at any minute. Drill from 9.30am to 11.30. Yesterday went into Corbie and found it knocked about a great deal.
26 August
Had to shift back from Vaux-Sur-Somme to our old camp near the line but found the line a good deal further away.
27 August
I was the only one who had not go out to work last night. We are working in shifts puts chambers on a big dugout for head -quarters, a good job I think.
28 August
Followed up the advance 4 kilos, camped in trench.
29th August
This morning we had a look at a German 15 inch naval gun which he blew up when retreating and it was well worth seeing, situated behind Proyart. Did not think he had such a gun except on armoured trains. 3.30 Packed up and marched up to some old French deep dugouts.
30th August
Moved up again in full pack and everything to within 2000 yds of the line to a trench and had to dig in which took us until tea time. Just finished tea and had fall in 'fighting order', went to cross roads to await orders. Fritz shelled us. Loaded up 16 G.S. timbers and went out to front line near Somme river where we unloaded bridge making material. Carried bridge material across Somme into 'no man's land'. Fritz still shelling, time 3.30am, another trip to do and 6 kilo walk back to camp; shelled all way home but eventually arrived, just about dead, had some porridge and bacon and then Morpheus claimed me for several hours.
31st August
Fritz shelling our camp, received parcel and letters also ten bob note.
2/9/18
My neck swollen up went to doctor and had it dressed. No duties.
3rd September
Neck very sore, evacuated to C.C.S. doesn't know what to make of it. C.C.S. at Dours.
4th September
In the afternoon we were evacuated to No. 1 A.G. Hospital at Rouen arriving here about 6am, pretty rotten journey but it is good to be between white sheets once more.
5th September
Put in a nice quiet day in bed, this sort of spell will do me.
6th September
Had to undergo an operation to get a bit of a shell splinter out of my neck and was very sick coming out of it.
8th September
The sister put in a word to the doctor for me and so was marked up for Blighty.
10th September
Awakened about 2.30am and dressed to go on the train for Blighty. Journeyed down to Le Havre where we were put on the boat for Blighty.
11th September
Awakened to find the boat running parralel to the shore and not long afterwards passed the Isle of Wight which looked lovely, fresh and green in the morning sunlight; it is rather a nice feeling to know that one is going to have a short sojourn in England even if one has a hole in his neck similar to a young open cut.
England
Arrived at Southampton about 11.30 and eventually disembarked and entrained. Going to Bristol I think. The country looks beautiful, green and fresh. Bristol reached where I was sent to Bishop's Knoll a V.A.D. hospital owned privately.

13194
Sgt S. Sutton
4th Divisional
San Section
France

J. Rogers
c/o 11 Chestnut Cottages
Weybridge, Surrey

49 Southill Rd
Liverpool

1 Toxteth Grove
off Southill Rd, Dingle

Ration book slip, Returned Soldiers and Sailors Club card, postcards, 1919 Anzac Day guide

Paybook

Passes, National Identity Card