ALLAN, David Ernest
| Service Number: | NX14250 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 May 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/31st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia, 27 November 1917 |
| Home Town: | Gulgong, Mid-Western Regional, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Gulgong Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Laborer |
| Died: | Lung cancer, Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia, November 1959 |
| Cemetery: |
Lithgow General Cemetery, Bowenfels, New South Wales |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 7 May 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX14250, 2nd/31st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Aug 1940: | Embarked Sydney to Middle East (42 days on ship). | |
| 7 Jun 1941: | Involvement 2nd/31st Infantry Battalion, Syria - Operation Exporter | |
| 18 Jun 1941: | Wounded Syria - Operation Exporter | |
| 7 Feb 1942: | Embarked Middle East to Australia (42 days on ship). | |
| 31 Aug 1942: | Embarked Brisbane to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. | |
| 9 Sep 1942: | Involvement 2nd/31st Infantry Battalion, Kokoda - Papua | |
| 30 Dec 1942: | Embarked Port Moresby to Brisbane, Australia. | |
| 29 Mar 1943: | Transferred AMF Anti Aircraft units / Elements WW2, Sydney (1943) & Darwin (1944) | |
| 11 Apr 1944: | Transferred 2 Advanced Ordnance Depot | |
| 27 Dec 1944: | Embarked Townsville to Lae, Papua New Guinea. | |
| 30 Dec 1944: | Transferred 4 Advanced Ordnance Depot | |
| 28 Aug 1945: | Embarked Lae to Townsville, Australia. | |
| 16 Oct 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX14250, 2nd/31st Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Leith Maranda
David Ernest Allan was the eldest of four siblings born to Ernest & Roberta Allan. Ernest was a farmer and they lived on a farm in Gulgong, NSW.
David attended school in Gulgong and afterward worked as a laborer.
He was 22 years old when he traveled to Sydney and voluntarily signed up for the Australian Army after the declaration of war. He soon after embarked on a ship from Sydney to Palestine (modern day Israel), where he was attached to the 2/31st Infantry Battalion (D Company), and fought in Syria & Lebanon against the Vichy French.
After 18 months on deployment, he returned to Australia. Five months later he again embarked with his' battalian on a ship bound for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, where they fought extremely hard for more than 3 months & eventually prevailed against the Japanese on the Kokoda Trail.
David was 25 years old when he married Aileen Elsie Maranda (who was 20 years old) during wartime (1943) and became a father to her two year old son (Keith).
In 1945, David was shipped back to Papua New Guinea with a different unit (4AAOD) where he spent 9 months and saw out the end of the war.
After the war, David & Aileen had four daughters (Robyn, Yvonne, Colleen & Toni). David continued to work as a laborer in different industries including on the railroad and in a power station. They continued to live in Gulgong before moving to Portland, NSW, and then later moved to Lithgow, NSW.
David developed lung cancer which initially went undiagnosed and spread throughout his’ body. He succumbed to the disease at the age of 42.
It was determined by a medical professional that the disease may have been related to a military truck roll over which he was involved in during wartime where it is reported he was ejected from the passenger seat of the truck and fell onto a concrete road barrier. He sustained serious injury to his chest area and spent some time in hospital.
David’s wife Aileen, at 36 years old and with four young daughters (5, 7, 8, & 12 years old) was officially recognized as a “war widow”.
Biography contributed by Leith Maranda
David Ernest Allan was the eldest of four siblings born to Ernest & Roberta Allan. Ernest was a farmer and they lived on a farm in Gulgong, NSW.
David attended school in Gulgong and afterward worked as a laborer.
He was 22 years old when he traveled to Sydney and voluntarily signed up for the Australian Army after the declaration of war. He soon after embarked on a ship from Sydney to Palestine (modern day Israel), where he was attached to the 2/31st Infantry Battalion (D Company), and fought in Syria & Lebanon against the Vichy French.
After 18 months on deployment, he returned to Australia. Five months later he again embarked with his' battalian on a ship bound for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, where they fought extremely hard for more than 3 months & eventually prevailed against the Japanese on the Kokoda Trail.
David was 25 years old when he married Aileen Elsie Maranda (who was 20 years old) during wartime (1943) and became a father to her two year old son (Keith).
In 1945, David was shipped back to Papua New Guinea with a different unit (4AAOD) where he spent 9 months and saw out the end of the war.
After the war, David & Aileen had four daughters (Robyn, Yvonne, Colleen & Toni). David continued to work as a laborer in different industries including on the railroad and in a power station. They continued to live in Gulgong before moving to Portland, NSW, and then later moved to Lithgow, NSW.
David developed lung cancer which initially went undiagnosed and spread throughout his’ body. He succumbed to the disease at the age of 42.
It was determined by a medical professional that the disease may have been related to a military truck roll over which he was involved in during wartime where it is reported he was ejected from the passenger seat of the truck and fell onto a concrete road barrier. He sustained serious injury to his chest area and spent some time in hospital.
David’s wife Aileen, at 36 years old and with four young daughters (5, 7, 8, & 12 years old) was officially recognized as a “war widow”.
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