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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ007122S
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00:24 The first of September, 1939 marked the beginning of
00:28 World War II, a war that lasted for six long and heart-wrenching 00:34 years. It was a time in history that witnessed more carnage, 00:38 loss of lives, property, and land damage 00:41 than any other war previously. 00:44 Families were torn apart by the fighting, guns and bombs. 00:48 many children lost their fathers, wives lost husbands, 00:52 and parents lost their sons. 00:54 A devastating figure from 50 to 70 million people are 01:01 estimated to have died in this war. 01:03 The survival rate was shocking and inhumane, 01:06 sadly, it's also estimated that over 50% of all deaths 01:11 during this time were innocent civilians. 01:14 The climax of World War II would ultimately occur due to 01:20 the invention and use of the lethal atomic bomb. 01:23 Two atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of 01:26 Hiroshima and Nagasaki causing about a quarter of a million 01:31 deaths and casualties. 01:32 It was only then that Japan finally surrendered in 1945 01:38 and the war came to an end. 01:40 But how did a war started by Germany and Europe end with 01:46 the United States of America bombing Japan in the Pacific? 01:50 Well, a year into the war in 1940, Japan signed the 01:56 Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy is becoming the third 02:00 country in the alliance known as the axis. 02:05 Soon after this, several countries, including America 02:09 withdrew economic support from Japan. 02:12 With a shortage of oil and other natural resources 02:16 Japan decided to aggressively move its military to 02:21 Southeast Asia in order to forcibly obtain more vital 02:25 resources so that they could continue to supply their army 02:28 and their war effort. 02:30 Japan began two years of successful military advances 02:35 in Asia and the South Pacific which started with a surprise 02:39 air attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on the 7th of December 02:44 1941. This severely impacted the American fleet and drew the U.S. 02:50 into the war. 02:51 Japan then wasted no time in proceeding to conquer Guam, 02:56 Wake Island, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaya, 03:01 Singapore and Burma. 03:03 Imperial Japan seemed unstoppable, their troops 03:08 were on the move, and it appeared that they would conquer 03:12 all of Asia and the South Pacific. 03:13 Japan's success and its reputation for being aggressive 03:19 and ruthless on the battle- field appeared ominous 03:22 for the next country and its sights New Guinea 03:25 and it would have been conquered just as quickly as Guam and 03:29 the Philippines, if it wasn't for the Australian, American, 03:32 and local New Guinea soldiers and civilians fighting to 03:37 protect this land from invasion. 03:39 On the 8th of March 1942, the Japanese landed in 03:45 what was then known as New Guinea, now known as 03:48 Papua New Guinea and west Papua, which is now part of 03:51 Indonesia. This was one of the toughest and longest battles 03:56 of World War II due to the mountainous terrain, isolation, 04:01 dense jungle, intense heat, and many tropical diseases. 04:05 The Australian and American armies were filled with soldiers 04:10 loyal, strong, and courageous, and one such soldier was 04:15 Corporal Leslie Charles Allen, he was larger than life 04:20 and is best known for his heroic actions during the battle at 04:25 Mt. Tambu, the highest point on the track that ran between 04:29 Salamaua and Mubo in Southeastern New Guinea. 04:33 During this fierce battle, Leslie Allen, nicknamed Bull Allen 04:39 because of his size and strength displayed unbelievable courage 04:44 and bravery amidst intense pressure and danger. 04:48 Bull Allen's story, his endeavors, his tough childhood, 04:52 and the leader and man he became is nothing short of 04:57 inspirational. 04:58 Join me, Gary Kent as we follow in the footsteps of 05:03 Leslie Bull Allen through the mud and misery of the 05:06 New Guinea Campaign. 05:08 His story will encourage you and inspire you. 05:32 The town of Ballarat is located in the central highlands 05:35 of Victoria, Australia. 05:37 The Ballarat region was first occupied by the Australian 05:41 indigenous Wadawurrung people, but it wasn't until 05:45 August of 1851 that significant growth and settlement 05:50 in the area occurred to the discovery of Gold by 05:53 Thomas Hiscock, this led to the start of what is Now known 05:58 as the Victorian Gold Rush. 06:00 Within three months of the initial discovery, 06:03 several deep mining leads were open and shanty towns sprang up. 06:08 At its peak in 1858, there were a staggering 60,000 people 06:15 living in Ballarat, however, once the transient gold mining 06:19 population moved onto other gold diggings, 06:23 the tents and shacks of those 23,000 that remained 06:27 gradually transformed into more solid stone and brick structures. 06:32 The makeshift mining town turned into an established 06:36 township by 1859. 06:38 Today, Ballarat has a population of about 120,000, making it 06:46 the third largest city in the state of Victoria. 06:49 The history of this gold rush era is still highly important 06:54 to the people of Ballarat and to this day there is a 06:58 tourist attraction called Sovereign Hill. 07:01 This is a place where visitors stood back in time 07:05 and experience the life and pulse of the Gold Rush era. 07:09 and learned what this important period around the 1850s meant 07:14 for the future of the town. 07:16 But there is something else that is significant about 07:20 Ballarat, which has brought us here today. 07:22 This is the hometown of the war hero Leslie Bull Charles Allen. 07:28 who was born here in 1918, although he was raised here. 07:34 He didn't have a typical upbringing, 07:36 you see, Bull and his sister Violet were abandoned 07:40 as children and raised in a local orphanage in their 07:44 early years of life were very difficult. 07:47 He had a cruel father, sort of thing and in the end of time 07:52 him and his sister ended up in the Ballarat Orphanage 07:57 after he'd been in the orphanage about 11 years old 08:01 he'd just thought he would go out and work, 08:03 he didn't have a very good education at all. 08:06 He went out to work on the farms on the western district 08:10 just doing odd jobs, working with horses from picking up 08:15 a few off skills on the way and he did that right up until 08:19 he probably enlisted in the military. 08:23 He volunteered to join the army when the II world War 08:26 broke out at the age of 21. He was used to working 08:30 hard and had grown into a powerfully built and strong man. 08:34 His physique, coupled with his boisterous personality 08:39 soon mean that Bull would become one of the most popular 08:43 recognizable characters in his battalion. 08:46 In 1940, Bull Allen was assigned to the 2nd Australian 08:52 Imperial Force, it was not long before he was posted as 08:56 reinforcement for the 2/5th Australian Infantry 09:00 Battalion of the 17th Brigade. 09:02 Bull Allen decided to be a medic as he wants to save life 09:08 rather than take it. 09:09 His first destination was Palestine in the Middle East 09:15 where he would begin his training as a stretcher bearer 09:19 for The Dawn Company. 09:21 It was in Palestine that Leslie Allen soon earned the nickname 09:26 Bull Allen. While playing some football during some down time 09:31 Bull established his reputation as a rugged individual 09:34 who could powerfully charge straight ahead through 09:37 defenders. 09:39 His teammates considered he ran like a bull and 09:42 the name stuck. What his fellow soldiers didn't know at the time 09:47 was that Bull would carry that same spirit 09:51 onto the battlefield, charging through bullets and enemy lines 09:55 in order to save the lives of his comrades and allies. 09:59 These acts of bravery made him a decorated war hero. 10:04 Bull went on to serve in the Middle East and North Africa 10:08 including battles in Libya and Syria, and during this time 10:13 his reputation as Bull Allen didn't waver. 10:17 He had immense courage under fire and was persistent in 10:21 retrieving injured soldiers during battles. 10:24 He fearlessly risked his life to help fallen comrades 10:30 His fellow Australian troops affectionately referred to 10:37 Les Allen as Al Bull, the one man army. 10:41 In 1943, after serving in the Middle East, the 2/5th 10:46 Australian Infantry Battalion was sent to defensive operations 10:51 in the jungles of New Guinea against the Japanese. 10:54 This is where Bull Allen's heroism came to the forefront 10:59 as part of the Wild Salamaua Campaign Bull served bravely 11:04 as a stretcher bearer. On the mountain tracks his strength 11:09 stamina, and devotion to his comrades were invaluable. 11:13 During a battle at Chrystal Creek on the 7th of February 11:18 1943, a platoon was pinned down in the open under intense 11:24 Japanese machine gun fire. 11:26 Three men were wounded and two were killed, Bull Allen 11:31 rushed out in the face of this machine gun fire 11:34 pushing one soldier, Corporal Kelley out of danger 11:37 over a small bank. Then hoisted him over his shoulder 11:41 and carried him up a hill to safety. 11:44 During this daring rescue, Bull Allen received a bullet through 11:49 the haversack he was carrying on his back, 11:51 the haversack saved his life. 11:54 But this close shave with death didn't slow him down, 11:58 Bull Allen relentlessly went out and cared many of these fallen 12:03 comrades during intense fire from the Japanese forces. 12:06 The following day, the 18th Battalion was surrounded 12:10 and pinned down by Japanese snipers, one soldier was killed 12:15 and two were wounded. 12:17 Bull Allen made three separate trips to recover them, 12:21 Bull Allen's efforts were noticed and he was awarded the 12:26 Military Medal from the Australian Army for outstanding 12:31 bravery and his actions on the battlefield. 12:33 A section on the citation reads 12:46 Even with all the carnage and brutality that Bull Allen 12:52 had experienced, no one knew that the worst was yet to come. 12:56 Just a few months later, Bull Allen would arrive at his 13:01 most significant battle, this battle was the one that 13:04 he is remembered for above all others, not only were 13:09 his actions Signiant but at the right moment. 13:12 His picture was taken, there is a famous image of an 13:17 Australian soldier carrying a wounded comrade across 13:20 his shoulder, it's a photo that is recognizable to 13:24 many Australians and symbolizes incredible dedication to duty 13:29 and mateship. 13:31 This picture, which was later modeled in a sculpture 13:34 is proudly displayed at the prestigious Australian War 13:38 Memorial in Canberra to this day. 13:41 This image is none other than Bull Allen, who had run into 13:46 intense enemy fire to save American wounded soldiers 13:50 at the Battle of Mount Tambu. 13:52 The figure of Bull Allen carrying the wounded to safety 13:57 was unmistakable because he preferred to carry them 14:01 around his ample shoulders in the fireman's grip 14:04 rather than use a stretcher which required two men, 14:07 but this photo only captured one of the men he rescued. 14:12 One, two, three, four, he kept going back out, 14:17 five, six, seven, eight, the odds were not in Bulls' favor 14:22 to come back at all, but he did, time and time again. 14:27 Even though there were snipers, machine guns and mortar bombs 14:32 exploding and buzzing around them constantly, 14:35 this didn't stop Bull Allen from continually going back out 14:40 to rescue wounded and unconscious soldiers 14:42 even though he was wounded himself and two other medics 14:47 had been killed in trying to rescue people. 14:50 Bull Allen still went out and charge through the bullets 14:54 saving his American comrades against all odds. 14:58 His story and David Cranage shares... 15:23 David Cranage sums up the entire events with 15:27 three powerful words... 15:33 The number of rescued soldiers continued to rise, nine, ten, 15:39 eleven, twelve, at least a dozen American men were rescued 15:44 that day, the 30th of July, 1943 by an Australian soldier. 15:49 More than a dozen men were now able to go on and live 15:53 to now have the hope of going home to see their 15:57 families again, to face another day, all due to the bravery 16:02 of one man, Bull Allen. 16:05 When he was put under pressure he probably didn't show a lot 16:08 of sign of fear on anything like that, even though there 16:12 were things happening around him, he was able to overcome all that 16:15 and went and go and did the job as what he was trying to do 16:19 as a stretcher bearer, late? when he was under fire, and he was 16:22 forced them out of every shelter, and while he's probably 16:26 treating them first, sort of thing and assessing the 16:28 casualties and what they have to do and then he'd carry them 16:32 out to safety sort of thing and going back out again. 16:35 In the official statement that says he did it 12 times, but 16:39 over his paper cuttings, he'd say that he did it 16:43 seven, eight times so no one really knows 16:45 exactly what the strength of it was. 16:48 These are dad's medals, the campaign medal is there, 16:53 that's the Military Medal, and that was awarded for bravery 16:58 at Crystal Creek, this is the American Silver Star 17:01 which was awarded to him for bravery at Mt. Tambu' s 17:05 for saving the Americans. 17:07 Bull was awarded the Prestigious United States Silver Star 17:11 one of America's highest military honors for a 17:15 non-American honoring Bull's bravery and services to America 17:21 in the Allied Corps. 17:22 Many people extended their congratulations to him 17:26 including the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt 17:30 Eleanor Roosevelt. 17:32 Receiving this medal in early 1945 was a high point for 17:37 Bull Allen, who had been struggling immensely with 17:40 processing all the sadness of war that he had encountered 17:44 in the previous years. 17:46 Cracks started to show in Bull Allen's mental health 17:50 even as early as in his first campaign in Libya. 17:54 He'd been hospitalized with a condition they called 17:57 anxiety neurosis, now it's a broad term that was first coined 18:03 by Sigmund Freud, and has led to deeper research 18:07 into all anxiety disorders. 18:09 Overall, it's a condition where someone may experience an 18:15 excessive ongoing and intense fear about ordinary daily 18:20 situations. Yet, after his diagnosis Bull Allen was 18:25 soon discharged and went on to serve in his next battle 18:29 in Syria and eventually in New Guinea. 18:32 These years of front-line battles took a large toll 18:36 on Bull, in 1944, Bull Allen and his battalion was sent back 18:42 to Queensland, Australia, to continue their training, 18:46 where would they be sent next? 18:48 Would they come home safely? from their next deployment? 18:52 Unfortunately, Bull Allen would never find out the answers 18:57 to these questions. 18:59 Although Bull never showed fear in front of his fellow 19:02 soldiers, his war service undoubtedly affected him, 19:06 in late 1944, emotions welled up inside Bull Allen, 19:11 some say he was suffering from shell-shock, today it's called 19:16 post-traumatic stress disorder. 19:18 Anger, fear, anxiety, resentment, a myriad of feelings 19:24 that were circulating through his heart and mind. 19:27 One day those feelings culminated into an outburst of emotions 19:33 and in a moment of high anxiety he struck an officer 19:37 and was demoted from Corporal back to Private. 19:41 Consequently, Bull Allen's mental health continued to 19:46 deteriorate, he was again assessed and diagnosed this time 19:51 with constitutional tempermental instability and anxiety symptoms. 19:58 As well as this, Bull also suffered with physical ailments 20:03 through several bouts of malaria too. 20:06 Soon after these events, Bull Allen was deemed medically unfit 20:12 for service and was discharged from the military. 20:16 His military career was over and the life he had come to know 20:20 over the last several years had now ended. 20:23 After all of the adrenaline of fighting ceased after all of the 20:28 accolades and congratulations go silent, what is left? 20:33 Just your thoughts, your memories, and these were 20:38 hard to live with for Bull Allen he had witnessed a lot of 20:42 devastation, death, and destruction through his 20:45 war experiences, from friends dying before his very eyes 20:49 to bullets and bombs coming within centimeters 20:53 of taking his own life. 20:55 His body had been forced into hyperdrive for hours on end. 21:00 every loud crash of a frying pan, or crack from a firework 21:05 would bring back a flood of sickening memories. 21:08 They clouded his mind even when he was back at home 21:12 where he could enjoy safety and freedom, 21:15 he found it very difficult. 21:19 So, whatever happened to Bull Allen, once he had 21:23 left the military? Well in 1949 Bull married his sweetheart 21:29 Jane Elizabeth Floyd, who had served in the army as a nurse. 21:33 Just before the wedding, he received a surprise in a post 21:38 a letter from Eleanor Roosevelt, the letter read; 21:42 Dear Mr. Allen, I've just heard that you were 21:46 going to be married on April 25, and I send you my 21:50 congratulations and best wishes. 21:52 Very Sincerely Yours, Eleanor Roosevelt 21:56 The letter was personally signed. 22:00 Bull Allen's marriage to Jean brought encouragement, 22:05 love and support, it was good to have someone by his side 22:08 who had an understanding of the things he had gone through. 22:12 However, she would need to have patience and kindness 22:16 through Bull's post-traumatic Episodes which still occurred 22:20 from time to time. 22:21 He would of experienced seeing his own mates being shot 22:26 or killed or wounded, it would have to have an impact 22:29 on your life. Mom and dad they stayed together and 22:32 they worked together, and they'd raise a family and 22:34 after what he went through, I think it was one of his 22:38 best friends. 22:39 One of the worst occasions that affected Bull 22:42 was when he lost his ability to speak for a six-month period. 22:46 Imagine the struggle of silence, this must have been such a 22:51 dark place for Bull, to not be able to utter a word, 22:55 the turmoil and distress in someone's heart 22:59 after experiencing deep and intense trauma is hard to 23:03 fathom for those who never experienced such devastation 23:08 and heartache, but Jean continued to love Bull 23:12 through these times. 23:13 And who knows the troubles that Jean also needed to work through 23:17 with the support of Bull? 23:19 They celebrated the birth of three healthy sons and a 23:23 beautiful daughter together and they raised them in 23:27 Bull Allen's hometown of Ballarat. 23:29 Bull Allen worked as a laborer initially, but soon began work 23:34 in Ballarat Base Hospital as a theater attendant. 23:38 The family lived on the outskirts Ballarat Township 23:42 so that they could own a small acreage of land. 23:45 Bull loved being outside and had enough land where 23:49 they could raise livestock and break-in horses. 23:53 The work of breaking-in and stubborn often abandoned horses 23:57 was probably very meaningful to Bull, could he himself 24:01 relate to these horses? Bull was abandoned by his own 24:06 parents and broken from his war-time experiences 24:09 but he knew that love and care can help you to bring you 24:14 through these things into a healthier and happier 24:17 relationships. His passion for helping the horses perhaps 24:22 stem from his own story and what he needed himself. 24:26 Bull Allen was a very well-known and popular figure around 24:30 Ballarat, he could also be seen every Anzac Day, April 25 24:36 carrying the 2/5th Battalion Banner down the St. Kilda Road 24:41 in Melbourne towards The Shrine of Remembrance. 24:44 In his later years, Bull Allen joyfully served at the 24:48 Sovereign Hill recreated gold mining town, manning the 24:52 horse-drawn courts crushing stand, sadly, Leslie bull Allen 24:58 passed away on the 11th of May, 1982. 25:02 Even though Bull Allen is lesser known than some other 25:07 major Australian war heroes, his impact still lingers and 25:11 his brave actions will be remembered for decades to come. 25:20 Maybe you have felt like Bull Allen, in some instances 25:24 of your life, maybe you've never faced physical bullets, 25:28 but perhaps you have felt like you've been running through 25:31 situations where you felt under attack, like everything 25:35 is against you and you're struggling to keep going, 25:38 to keep fighting and enduring. 25:40 We all have times when we feel afraid, we've all had 25:45 periods of our lives when we feel anxious where our thoughts 25:49 in our heads feel like they're dragging us over and over 25:53 again into our traumatic past, or maybe the 25:57 thoughts in our head are over- analyzing the future 26:01 with a sense of dread. 26:02 If you've been facing difficult times and would like to 26:07 try a Bible-based solution, when you feel overwhelmed, 26:10 stressed and anxious, then I'd like to recommend the 26:14 free gift we have for you today. 26:16 It's the booklet, How to Cope with Anxiety. 26:20 This booklet can help give you strategies to support you in 26:24 dealing with these very real feelings and emotions 26:28 that you may be experiencing, just like Bull Allen did 26:32 after the war. This booklet is our gift to you and is 26:36 absolutely free, I guarantee there are no costs or 26:39 obligations whatsoever. 26:42 So make the most of this wonderful gift 26:45 we have for you today. 26:47 Phone or text 0436. 333.555 in Australia 26:53 or 020.422.2042 in New Zealand, 26:58 or 770.800.0266 in the United States, 27:04 or visit our website at tij.tv, 27:08 or simply scan the QR Code on your screen 27:11 and we'll send you today's free offer, totally free of charge 27:15 and with no obligation, you can also write to us 27:18 at the addresses on your screen, or email us at info@tij.tv. 27:25 Don't delay, call or text us now. 27:33 Be sure to join us again next week when we will share another 27:37 of life's journeys together, until then, let's pray to the 27:42 one who truly can bring peace into our hearts. 27:45 Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you that we have 27:49 a God in heaven who loves us and cares for us. 27:52 Lord, we live busy lives that are often filled with stress 27:57 and anxiety, please make your face to shine upon us 28:01 and give us peace, Your peace, heavenly peace, 28:05 the peace that passes all understanding, 28:08 and please bless us and our family's we pray in Jesus' name, 28:13 Amen! |
Revised 2025-11-05