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Laurence William Allen - Information

When Laurence decided to enlist in the AIF, he was living on Wade St in Perth with his family. Laurence was born in Thirlmere, and later found work as a telegraph operator and served in the local infantry in Perth. He joined the AIF in Blackboy Hill on the 1st of March 1916, becoming a Sapper with the 2nd Reinforcements, 4th Division Signal Company. He left Fremantle on the 17th of April 1916 on the HMAT Aeneas.

Laurence joined the Engineering Training Depot Signal Section at Tel-el-Kebir Camp in Egypt in May. The following month, he was transported to the Western Front. He was marched out to the Signal Depot Base in Abbeville, before joining the 4th Division Signal Company in August. Signal units ensured that communication between forward units and Command was maintained, laying and repairing telephone cables. This was vital work often risking their lives under fire to ensure operations run smoothly. In December, he attended a Signal School, and later he was re-mustered as a Driver on the 10th of April 1917. The last few months of the war, were a little shaky for Laurence. In July 1918, he accidentally sprained his ankle, returning to his unit in September. Then several days before the war ended, he was wounded on the 3rd of November, but remained at duty. Laurence was sent back to Australia in May 1919.