ANZAC Search

Allan Armstrong - Information

Allan joined the colours on the 10th of April 1918 in Townsville, Queensland. Allan was born in Picton in 1884 to John and Kate Armstrong. While his family made a life in Prospect in Sydney, Allan moved to Brisbane where he worked as a cheese maker. At the age of 35, he signed up for war service, becoming a Private with the 3rd Queensland Reinforcements. He was then shipped overseas from Sydney on the 8th of May 1918 onboard the RMS Osterley.

Allan arrived in Liverpool in July and was marched out to the 1st Training Battalion at Sutton Veny. At the end of the month, he was allotted to the 9th Battalion. Allan was still training in England when the guns fell silent across the world. On the 23rd of November, he was transferred to the Army Service Corps Motor Section, stationed to Perham Downs Depot. In late January 1919, he was transported to France. He served with the 3rd and later 4th Australian Motor Transport Company in early February. Allan was kept busy as men and equipment had to be packed up and moved from cratered villages and farms, where over four years of conflict scarred the landscape. In September, Allan was taken back to England for duty, and was eventually granted leave in December. Allan was then detached to Grave Services in France. This would have been a most humbling experience. After the war ended, war cemeteries were refurbished and new ones created as soldier’s remains were exhumed and re-interred. During this process, many bodies were unearthed from old battlegrounds and given a proper burial. Allan’s unit worked tirelessly to grant peace to many of their fallen comrades. He commenced his journey home to Australia on the 7th of July 1921, and was discharged in November.