This famous photograph by war correspondent Gordon Short captures Leslie ‘Bull’ Allen rescuing a wounded soldier on Mount Tambu, New Guinea, 30 July 1943.
Allen was awarded a US Silver Star for action on this day. He had been awarded an Australian Military Medal for a similar act of bravery involving Australian casualties at Crystal Creek a few months before.
The Australian War Memorial record for the photograph states: “1943-07-30. Mount Tambu, New Guinea. 2/5th Battalion stretcher bearer Corporal Leslie (Bull) Allen MM, age 26, of Ballarat, Vic, carrying to safety an American soldier who had been knocked unconscious by a mortar bomb. Allen carried out twelve American casualties while under fire on Mount Tambu. For this gallantry he received the United States Silver Star. He had won his Military Medal as a Private on 7 February 1943 at Crystal Creek, Wau. (Negative by G. Short).”