Sgt
Allan King Lucas
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1888 |
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Place of birth: Birchs Bay, Tasmania, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Carpenter |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Sergeant |
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Service number: 447 |
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Enlistment date: 22/07/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Claremont, Tasmania, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 40th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 08/11/1917 |
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Place of death: No. 12 General Hospital, Rouen, France |
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Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.) |
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Age: 29 |
Cemetery
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St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen Plot: P. III. Row: L. Grave: 10A |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of wounding | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Allan King Lucas was a 27 year old carpenter before enlisting with the Australian Army in February 1916. He joined the 40th Bn. A.I.F. (10th Australian Brigade, 3rd Australian Division) and went overseas to France by the end of 1916.
Before participating in the Battle of Passchendaele, the 40th Bn. already saw action in the Battle of Messines in June 1917. On 4 October 1917 the 3 Australian Division took part in the attack in the Battle of Broodseinde (a sub part of the Battle of Passchendaele). Reaching the jumping off line in the early morning and being positioned between the 39th Bn. A.I.F. and the Zonnebeke creek, the 40th Bn. had considerable difficulty in forming up owing to the very wet state of the ground. Bn. HQ was established at Bremen Redoubt. At the same time, the Germans put down a barrage, inflicting about 20 casualties in the rear of the Bn.
At zero hour, 6 AM, the 10th Brigade moved forward. The 37th Bn. taking the first objective, 38th Bn. second, 39th Bn. third and 40th Bn. taking the fourth objective (Berlin Wood – Hamburg Farm – Dash Crossing). The formation of the battalion was: B. Coy. on the right, D Coy. on the left, A Coy. mopping up and C Coy. reserve.
The first objective was reached with few casualties. Moving to the second objective proved to be more difficult owning to the boggy and wet ground. From the second to third objective heavy machine gun fire was encountered and passing on the third objective the ground became very boggy and the companies move to the flanks, leaving a gap in the center. A party of A and D company were gathered and filled the gap. Hamburg Farm and Dab trench were cleaned up, capturing two machine guns and crews at Hamburg Farm, 3 machine guns at Dab Trench. Consolidating parties moved up to the fourth objective and started digging in, in the mean while being hindered by snipers and machinge gun fire. Bn. HQ moved up to Beecham Farm. Attempts for a counter attack were checked.
The next day, 5 October, German artillery was very sporadic and mostly on the back areas. The own barrage was very heavy but several guns were firing short and inflicted casualties on the own men. There was a distinct shortage of stretcher bearers to keep Regimental Aid Posts (R.A.P.) cleared in forward areas. As a consequence of this R.A.P.’s were not as far advanced as they should have been and men were wounded again by shell fire. For 12 hours no cases were evacuated from the R.A.P. at Levi Cottage in spite of many urgent messages. In the evening the 40th Bn. was relieved by the Manchesters and reached the billets at Vlamertinge in the early morning of 6 October.
Sgt. Lucas was reported wounded in action on 5 October and admitted with a gun shot wound to his right leg. He was transferred to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station at Grévillers, France, and from there admitted in No. 12 General Hospital in Rouen. Here his leg was amputated. He succumb to his wounds on 8 November 1917 and was buried two days later at St. Sever Cemetery Extension in Rouen (P.III.L.10A).
Before participating in the Battle of Passchendaele, the 40th Bn. already saw action in the Battle of Messines in June 1917. On 4 October 1917 the 3 Australian Division took part in the attack in the Battle of Broodseinde (a sub part of the Battle of Passchendaele). Reaching the jumping off line in the early morning and being positioned between the 39th Bn. A.I.F. and the Zonnebeke creek, the 40th Bn. had considerable difficulty in forming up owing to the very wet state of the ground. Bn. HQ was established at Bremen Redoubt. At the same time, the Germans put down a barrage, inflicting about 20 casualties in the rear of the Bn.
At zero hour, 6 AM, the 10th Brigade moved forward. The 37th Bn. taking the first objective, 38th Bn. second, 39th Bn. third and 40th Bn. taking the fourth objective (Berlin Wood – Hamburg Farm – Dash Crossing). The formation of the battalion was: B. Coy. on the right, D Coy. on the left, A Coy. mopping up and C Coy. reserve.
The first objective was reached with few casualties. Moving to the second objective proved to be more difficult owning to the boggy and wet ground. From the second to third objective heavy machine gun fire was encountered and passing on the third objective the ground became very boggy and the companies move to the flanks, leaving a gap in the center. A party of A and D company were gathered and filled the gap. Hamburg Farm and Dab trench were cleaned up, capturing two machine guns and crews at Hamburg Farm, 3 machine guns at Dab Trench. Consolidating parties moved up to the fourth objective and started digging in, in the mean while being hindered by snipers and machinge gun fire. Bn. HQ moved up to Beecham Farm. Attempts for a counter attack were checked.
The next day, 5 October, German artillery was very sporadic and mostly on the back areas. The own barrage was very heavy but several guns were firing short and inflicted casualties on the own men. There was a distinct shortage of stretcher bearers to keep Regimental Aid Posts (R.A.P.) cleared in forward areas. As a consequence of this R.A.P.’s were not as far advanced as they should have been and men were wounded again by shell fire. For 12 hours no cases were evacuated from the R.A.P. at Levi Cottage in spite of many urgent messages. In the evening the 40th Bn. was relieved by the Manchesters and reached the billets at Vlamertinge in the early morning of 6 October.
Sgt. Lucas was reported wounded in action on 5 October and admitted with a gun shot wound to his right leg. He was transferred to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station at Grévillers, France, and from there admitted in No. 12 General Hospital in Rouen. Here his leg was amputated. He succumb to his wounds on 8 November 1917 and was buried two days later at St. Sever Cemetery Extension in Rouen (P.III.L.10A).
Sources 3
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Red Cross Wounded and Missing File https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people?people_preferred_name=lucas&people_service_number=447&people_unit= Sources used |
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Service Record https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=8205661&isAv=N Sources used |
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War Diary 40th Bn. A.I.F. Oct 1917 https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338976 Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/27237 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7610521 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=5590c098-c243-498b-869b-0a33674fe3e6 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=180789 |