A very iconic image here in Australia but the story of Bull Allen is one that very few Australians actually know. The image shows Allen carrying an unconscious American solider during the Battle of Mt Tambu, just one of the 12 wounded Americans he carried to safety that day.

 

Allen enlisted in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force on April 19, 1940 and was a stretcher-bearer with 2/5th Battalion. Allen saw action in the Western Desert Campaign and Syria-Lebanon Campaign during 1941 before returning to Australia in August of 1942. In October of 1942 Allen was sent to Papua New Guinea.

 

Allen's first major act of bravery came during Crystal Creek on the 7-8th of February 1943 where he rescued wounded soldiers under heavy fire for which he was awarded the Military Medal (Commonwealths equivalent to the Silver Star/Bronze Star).

 

On 30 July 1943 at Mt Tambu Allen rescued 12 American soldiers (some witnesses claim it to be as high as 18), carrying them to safety whilst under intense fire. For his actions that day he was awarded the Silver Star, one of only 30 Australians awarded a Silver Star in the Second World War. He was never officially recognised in any capacity by the Australian Army for his actions that day.

 

Allen returned home in September of 1943, but he had become unstable and in February 1944 he assaulted an officer, eventually he was court martialed and medically discharged from the Army on September 10, 1944.

 

In the years following the end of the war Allen received numerous letters of thanks from the families of the wounded Americans he rescued that day. Most notable was a letter from Eleanor Roosevelt who personally thanked him for his actions on that day.

 

Allen died 33 years ago today in Ballarat, Victoria.

Extraordinary actions from a unselfish man. Thank you for sharing this.