Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War II (1939-1945)

Date of Enlistment

15/07/1940

Place of Enlistment

Paddington NSW

Gender

Male

Other Name(s)

Known as 'Harry', nicknamed 'Bluey'

Date of Birth

22/04/1909

Place of Birth

Eastbourne, England

Address (at enlistment)

Kennedy Street, Kingston Canberra ACT (1 Neville Street, Willoughby NSW, on AWM Roll of Honour circular)

Occupation

Carpenter (Professional Rugby League football player on AWM Roll of Honour circular).

Next of Kin

Son of William Thomas and Edith Mary Allwork; husband of Doreen Alice Allwork, of Kennedy Street, Kingston, Canberra ACT, and later of 1 Neville Street, Willoughby NSW.

Burial Place

El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt: Grave A III. B. 22.

Service Number

NX59263

Final Rank

Private

Final Unit

2/3 Pioneer Battalion AIF

Died 31 October 1942 aged 33 years, killed in action in Egypt.

AWM Roll of Honour, Canberra ACT: Panel 73.
Roll of Honour Chatswood, Sydney NSW

Allwork came from Chatswood in Sydney and played rugby league as a front rower for North Sydney during 1933-34 before moving to Goulburn the following year as a player coach for the local team and from where he represented Southern Districts. He continued his football career in Canberra in 1939 where he also worked as a carpenter. Allwork enlisted in June 1940 and played for an AIF representative rugby league team at the SCG in August that year before joining the 2/3 Pioneers and arriving in the Middle East in November 1941. In May 1942 he was found guilty of an "offence against the person of an invaded country" and for "striking a superior officer" and was sentenced to 60 days field punishment. He rejoined his unit in August 1942 but was killed in action during the Battle of El Alamein in Egypt on 31 October 1942.

Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. World War 2 nominal roll. <http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/>
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Debt of Honour Register. <http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/search/>
AWM Roll of Honour and Roll of Honour Circulars http://www.awm.gov.au/database/roh.asp
ACT Electoral roll - 1939, 1941
Rugby League Project www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players
The Canberra Times - 30 June 1939, 27 January 1941
Goulburn Evening Penny Post - 7 December 1942
Sydney Mail - 5 December 1923
Sun (Sydney) - 11 August 1940, 3 December 1942