Allen, Richard Hamilton

1720 Private Richard Hamilton Allen – 28th Battalion

Richard Hamilton Allen was born in the Western Australian mining town of Cossack on the 23^rd April 1886 to William and Mary Allen. He had several brothers and sisters, Madeline, Antoinette, Joseph, Fred, George, Josephine and Edward. The family soon moved to South Fremantle and took up residence at Stockdale Farm in Coogee. Richard found employment with the WA Government Railways where he progressed up to be en Engine Driver. On the 10^th February 1916 while he was in Boulder, Richard enlisted in the AIF. He was given a physical examination and passed as medically fit. His physical attributes were recorded as;

Height:                                     5 feet 6 inches;

Weight:                                    170lbs;

Chest Measurement:               38-40 inches;

Complexion:                            Fair;

Eyes:                                       Black;

Hair:                                        Brown;

Religious Denomination:         Roman Catholic;

Upon his successful enlistment Richard was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was allotted to No.3 Area Depot. On the 3^rd March he was transferred to the 52^nd Depot Company where he continued his basic infantry training. On the 4^th April 1916 Richard was assigned to the 3^rd Reinforcements to the 51^st Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for nearly two months but on the 2^nd June 1916 he was transferred to the 1^st Reinforcements to the 44^th Battalion. Only four days after joining this group Richard boarded the HMAT Suevic in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England, arriving in Plymouth in July 1916. After being disembarked the men were sent to the 3^rd Division camp on the Salisbury Plains. Richard was assigned to the 11^th Training Battalion.

Richard was in England until the 9^th September 1916 as he was then sent overseas to reinforce the 28^th Battalion AIF. After a few weeks at the 2^nd Australian Division Base Depot in Etaples, Richard was taken on strength of the 28^th Battalion in the Ypres sector of Belgium on the 24^th September 1916. On the 9^th October Richard reported ill and he was sent to the 5^th Field Ambulance where he was diagnosed with bronchitis. He was sent to hospital in Boulogne where he remained for the next few weeks while he got over his illness. On the 17^th November he rejoined the 28^th Battalion on the Somme battlefield. While he had been away ill the 28^th had taken part in a disastrous assault on the German position at Flers with high casualties. However for the remainder of the 1916/17 winter they continued to have a regular routine of front line service.

On the 3^rd March 1917 Richard again reported sick and on being sent to the 7^th Field Ambulance he was diagnosed as suffering from trench fever. He had ten days rest and reported back to the 28^th Battalion on the 17^th March 1917. Richard rejoined the 28^th Battalion in time for their action at Lagnicourt when they helped to capture the French village. On the 12^th April Richard reported sick as he was suffering from boils, he was sent to the 6^th Field Ambulance and then to an advanced dressing station where he was able to rest up for several days, he reported back for duty on the 25^th April 1917.

On the 3^rd May 1917 Robert saw action during the 2^nd Battle of Bullecourt. The 5^th & 6th Brigades attacked the German lines but they soon had to be reinforced by the 7^th Brigade. Robert’s unit fought some sharp actions in the German trenches, during which time Richard was wounded by a bullet in the shoulder, chest and back. He was evacuated to the 6^th Field Ambulance and then sent back for further treatment to the 3^rd Casualty Clearing Station. He was then sent on an Ambulance Train to Rouen where he was admitted to the 9^th Stationary Hospital.

On the 16^th May Richard left this hospital for Le Havre where he was put aboard the hospital ship Grantilly Castle. On arrival in England Richard was sent to the 3^rd Southern General Hospital in Wandsworth. On the 1^st June 1917 he was transferred to the 3^rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford where he would spend the next two months recovering from his wound. On the 6^th August 1917 Richard was transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. Due to his wound he had been classified as unfit for further front line service and had been recommended for a return to Australia. Richard remained at this camp for several weeks while he awaited a berth on a ship to Australia.

On the 31^st October 1917 he boarded the Hospital Ship Berrima and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle in December 1917. Richard was given a medical examination at No.8 AGH in South Terrace Fremantle and after being released from hospital he returned to live in Coogee with his parents for a short time. Richard was officially discharged from the AIF on the 22^nd January 1918.

He soon returned to the Goldfields where he resumed employment with the WA Government Railways. In 1919 Richard married Georgina Daunt in East Coolgardie and the marriage would produce a daughter, Rhoda, born in 1920.

In World War Two despite being in his fifties Richard served in the Western Force Command as a member of the catering corps (W29263). He survived his second war but on the 27^th July 1953 died at home in 55 Hampton Road Fremantle. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery, Methodist section Mon B4 0116. His wife Georgina lived until 1969.