Allan Truscott was born in Emmaville New South Wales on 18 June 1903. He was the eldest son of Sidney Austin Truscott, an immigrant from England, and Julia Gertrude, from Warwick, Queensland. With his family, Truscott moved to Queensland, living in Texas and Jandowae. He worked as a wireless operator for Amalgamated Wireless from 1924-1929 and served on various vessels in the Australian Mercantile Marine during that time. During World War II, he served in the Australian Infantry battalion and later as a RAAF wireless instructor. After the war, Truscott married Meta Hurley and settled in the Brisbane suburb of Ashgrove. He worked for the Queensland Housing Commission. They had three children (Stephen Austin, James Francis and Maria Therese).