Matthew Allen
Personal details
| Date of birth | Monday 24 November 1890 |
| Mother's name | Annie Allen |
| Father's name | Matthew Allen |
| Date of death | Friday 10 August 1951 |
| Place of death | Illawarra Cottage Hospital, NSW |
Service details
| Date enlisted | Tuesday 4 September 1917 |
| Rank at enlistment | Private |
| Rank at discharge | Sapper |
| Service | Infantry |
| Unit | 1st Tunnelling Company |
| Awards | British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Story
Matthew Allen (Service No 8139) was born in Loch, Gippsland, Victoria.
At enlistment he was single, 27 years old, worked as a miner and lived at Helensburgh, NSW He embarked from Melbourne on SS Indarra with Tunnelling Companies (September 1916-February 1918): June 1917 Reinforcements on 26th November 1917.
The troops arrived in England on 2nd February 1918 and Matthew was sent on to France, arriving on 2nd April 1918.
He joined 1st Tunnelling Company in the field on 16th April and saw service on the Western Front until he was wounded in action on 4th November 1918 when he was evacuated to hospital in England for treatment of shell concussion.
Matthew was returned to Australia in July 1919 and discharged on 1st October 1919.
On 30th September 1922 he married Mary Craig at Helensburgh.
Information sources
NAA: B2455, ALLEN MRelated links
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=3370
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10978109
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10358285