Arthur "Tubby" Allen

Arthur "Tubby" Allen
Name	Arthur "Tubby" Allen
Birth date	1 February 1891
Birth place	Grafton, New South Wales
Death date	17 December 1969
Death place	Sydney
Allegiance	Australia
Serviceyears	1910–1946
Rank	Major General
Commands	7th Division, New Guinea Force

Arthur "Tubby" Allen

Arthur "Tubby" Allen was an Australian senior army officer whose career spanned the First World War, the inter-war years, and the Second World War. He commanded combat formations in the Western Front, the North African campaign, the Greek Campaign, and on the Kokoda Track campaign in New Guinea. Allen's leadership influenced the outcomes of engagements involving the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), the British Empire, and Allied formations during pivotal 20th-century conflicts.

Early life and military career

Allen was born in Grafton, New South Wales and educated at Grafton High School and the University of Sydney, where he studied science and participated in militia activities with the CMF. He joined the Australian Army as a junior officer in the Australian Staff Corps and served in pre-war postings alongside contemporaries such as Thomas Blamey, John Monash, and Harry Chauvel. His early professional development included staff training influenced by doctrines from the British Army and contacts with officers of the New Zealand Military Forces and the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

First World War service

During the First World War, Allen served with the 1st Division and later with the 2nd Division of the Australian Imperial Force. He saw action on the Western Front at battles including the Battle of Fromelles, the Battle of Pozières, and the Messines. Allen worked with staff officers from the British Expeditionary Force and commanders linked to the Somme Offensive, collaborating with figures such as William Birdwood, Herbert Plumer, and Douglas Haig. His wartime service earned him mentions in despatches and decorations from the United Kingdom and Allied authorities.

Inter-war years and command appointments

After the Armistice, Allen remained with the Australian Army in peacetime roles, undertaking staff appointments at the Department of Defence and at military institutions including the Royal Military College, Duntroon. He served alongside inter-war chiefs such as Brudenell White and engaged with officers returning from the Great War like Ettore Panizza—and broader imperial connections through the Imperial Defence College and exchanges with the British War Office. Allen commanded militia brigades and shaped training that anticipated mechanised and combined-arms developments seen in the Spanish Civil War and later Second World War studies.

Second World War: North Africa and Greece campaigns

Promoted into senior command as war loomed, Allen took the field with the 7th Division in the Western Desert Campaign of the North African campaign, operating in coordination with formations of the British Eighth Army, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and the South African Army. He participated in operations tied to the Siege of Tobruk, actions around Bardia, and maneuvers influenced by commanders such as Bernard Montgomery and Claude Auchinleck. Subsequently, Allen led elements of the I Corps-aligned contingents during the Greek Campaign, interacting with Allied leaders including Maurice Platow and officers from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, before the evacuation to Crete and redeployment to the Pacific Theatre.

Kokoda Track and New Guinea command

Reassigned to the South West Pacific Area under Douglas MacArthur and working with theatre commanders such as Sydney Rowell and Vince McCarthy, Allen assumed command of the 7th Division during the Kokoda Track campaign, confronting Imperial Japanese forces in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. His direction during battles near Isurava, Imita Ridge, and the advance towards Sanananda involved coordination with units like the 39th Battalion, the 21st Brigade, and allied formations including elements of the United States Army and the Royal Australian Air Force. Allen's New Guinea command also saw him serving as a senior figure in New Guinea Force, dealing with logistical challenges comparable to those faced in the Burma Campaign and influenced by doctrines emerging from the Pacific War.

Postwar life and legacy

Following his retirement in 1946, Allen engaged in public life and wrote on military subjects, contributing to debates alongside contemporaries such as Thomas Blamey and historians of the Australian War Memorial. His wartime decisions—especially during the Kokoda Track campaign—remain studied in analyses comparing leadership approaches with those of figures like Stanley Savige, Leslie Morshead, and John Lavarack. Assessments of Allen appear in works associated with institutions like the Australian War Memorial, the Australian Army History Unit, and academic studies at the Australian National University. He died in Sydney and is memorialised in military histories, museums, and commemorative activities alongside other notable Australian commanders of the 20th century.

Category:Australian generals Category:1891 births Category:1969 deaths