Notebook containing account of experiences on the Australian Station as a naval officer between January 1883 and September 1885.

Diaries: 1 June 1892 to 8 November 1895; 9 November 1895 to 26 January 1900; 27 January 1900 to 11 February 1904; 12 February 1904 to 5 June 1906 and 8 February 1916 to 12 November 1917.

Photograph of Allenby as lieutenant-colonel, 1915.

Photograph of the ARGYLL and Allenby, Plymouth, 1908.

Menus, theatre programmes, newscuttings, circa 1889 to 1921.

Notebook kept by R. F. H. Allenby (born circa 1900), son of R. A. Allenby, containing family photographs, newscuttings and notes, circa 1917.

Administrative / biographical background
Allenby entered into the Navy on 15 January 1875 in the training ship BRITANNIA. He went to sea in 1877 as midshipman to the VOLAGE and was stationed at the South East coast of America; in 1882 he was in the ACHILLES taking part in the Egyptian War. He was promoted to lieutenant on 31 December 1884 and joined the ESPIEGLE, later being promoted first lieutenant to the CRUISER and commanded the WANDERER in 1893. He was promoted commander on 1 January 1897 and served in the ST. GEORGE, flagship of the training squadron under Poe. Receiving his captaincy on 31 December 1902 he went to Berlin as attache to the courts of Germany, Denmark and Holland until 1906. He then served as captain to the battleships CENTURION, ARGYLL, FORMIDABLE and TEMERAIRE. In 1900 he worked in the Naval Intelligence Division. Allenby was promoted rear-admiral on 20 March 1913 but was unemployed when war broke out in 1914. As no opening senior enough was available to him, he took the temporary position of lieutenant-colonel, Embarkation Staff Corps. and was placed on the retired list in 1915. In 1916 he resumed naval duties in charge of the Royal Naval Depot at Port Said and was principal naval transport officer in Egypt. He was made vice-admiral on 30 January 1918 and admiral on 5 July 1921. He was awarded the D. S. O in 1918 and was made M. V. O in April 1904.