A truly great Australian war hero, who carried 12 wounded American soldiers to safety down the slopes of Mount Tambu

A truly great Australian war hero, who carried 12 wounded American soldiers to safety down the slopes of Mount Tambu, New Guinea, during the Wau - Salamaua campaign, in WW2.

Corporal Leslie ‘Bull’ Allen MM, a stretcher bearer in the 2/5th Australian Infantry Battalion, was awarded the US Silver Star for his bravery. The highest honour possible for a non-American.  First lady Eleanor Roosevelt was one of many to write him a letter of gratitude.

During the American assault against the Japanese on Mount Tambu, more than 50 American soldiers were wounded. Two medics were killed trying to retrieve them.

What is truly extraordinary, Australians were not supposed to be involved in the fighting, but Corporal Allen, who became aware of the many American casualties, was determined to do what he could.  He decided to go up and start carrying men out one at a time over his shoulder through the rough terrain, facing enemy machine guns, snipers and mortar fire.

I have read that witnesses told his family that he saved 18 American soldiers who were wounded that day, more than the 12 officially recorded.

Corporal Allen was born in my hometown of Ballarat, Victoria, and the incredible photograph on this post was taken on the 30th of July 1943, of him carrying a wounded American soldier.

This very brave soldier previously received a Military Medal (MM) for a similar act of bravery involving Australian wounded on the 7th of February 1943, at Crystal Creek, Wau.

Corporal Allen had earlier served in the Middle East.  He had come to notice there for determination and bravery as a stretcher bearer, recovering wounded men during battles in Libya and Syria.

He was revered by the men he served alongside.  He was said to be one of the very few who never showed fear.  Later though, he became so traumatised by the experience of war that he retreated to an uncle's farm, having lost his power of speech, and took many months to start to recover.

He had a tough childhood.  He and his sister were raised in an orphanage, and at about the age of 12, he had to start earning a living.

He died in Ballarat in 1982, aged 63 years.

Being a Ballarat boy myself (born and raised there from the early 1950s), our paths would have crossed.  It is sad that the focus for young school children, like myself, in the 50s and 60s, was not on great hometown war heroes like Corporal Allen.

I think that during these trying and uncertain times, we should remember people like Corporal Allen and focus on our wonderful heritage of determination, courage, and mateship.

I did a very large painting of the photograph on this post in 2015,  being the 100th anniversary year of the landing at Gallipoli.  It was great to paint such a brave home town war hero and I will put a photograph of the painting in a comment below