The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Powell
First Name:
Allen Ethelbert
Nick Name:
Bonnie to his family
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX8840
Classification:
Driver
Company:
‘B‘ Company, 7 Platoon
Enlisted:
23.10.1940
DOB:
26.10.1909
Place of Birth:
Northam, Western Australia
Father's Name:
Albert Charles Powell
Mothers's Name:
Margaret Rose Powell (nee Wilkins)
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Prospector and Road Grader Operator
Memorial:
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row L, Grave 66, Age 33.
Singapore:
Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
Force:
'D' Force Thailand, V Battalion
Camps Thailand:
Tarsau, Hindaine, Brankassi
POW#:
3/9223 & 2284
Cause of Death:
Dysentery
Place of Death:
Brankassi
Date of Death:
6.09.1943
Buried:
Grave No. 58, Brankassi

General Description

 

Allen Powell enlisted AIF 23 Oct 1940 and later joined the 2/4th MGB ‘B’ Coy 7 Platoon as a driver.

Please read about 7 Platoon

 

Studio portrait of WX8840 Private (Pte) Allen Ethelbert Powell, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, of Kalgoorlie, WA, with his young son Ian. Prior to enlistment, Pte Powell worked as a grader (road worker). He died of illness on 6 September 1943 in Siam.
WX8840 Private (Pte) Allen Ethelbert Powell, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, of Kalgoorlie, WA, with his young son Ian. Prior to enlistment, Pte Powell worked as a grader (road worker).
As a POW in Singapore, Allen was selected to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force V Battalion.  Please Read Further about the terrible work and living conditions for  V Battalion
Allen died of dysentery at Brankassi Camp 6th Sept 1943 aged 33 years. Allen was married with one son.
Several brothers enlisted however Allen was the only one not to return home.

 

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

 

 

 

 

Allen is one of 11 children born to his parents Albert Charles Powell and Margaret Rose Wilkins who married 23 Feb 1903 at Northam.
There were 6 boys of which Allen was the second born.
Allen married Lorraine Hattie ‘Laurie’ Short about 1935.  They had a baby girl Dianne Fay born in 1935.  Dianne tragically died as a six month old in 1936.  Allen and his wife were living on the job in a tent for Main Roads Department located between Bolgart and Calingiri when Dianne became suddenly ill.  She died some 16 hours later of double pneumonia.

 

 

Below:  In 1938 Allen’s mother Margaret Powell died unexpectedly at Goomalling aged 50 years.  His father Albert Charles Powell died at Northam in 1964.

 

 

Allen and Laurie had a baby boy whom they named Ian Max Powell who was born 3 August 1937.

 

Below:  Vale for Allen (known as Bonnie to his family and childhood/local friends)

Laurie Powell remarried at Parramatta, NSW in 1958.

Camp Locations:

  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Hindaine, Kui Mang 200k - Thailand
  • Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
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