Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Private

Army Number : 241484

Unit : 1/5th Bn

Biography :

Home address given as Sketchley, Leicestershire. Enlisted at Loughborough, Leics, in 1915. Served with the 1/5th Bn in World War One, entering France in May 1916. He was awarded the M.M. (London Gazette 26.04.1917, page 3945 "For devotion to duty and conspicuous gallantry. On March 2nd 1917 at Gommecourt, when attacked by a strong enemy bombing party, far superior in number to our own, Private Allen by his coolness and presence of mind, undoubtedly saved the lives of two of his comrades. Two of the men were covered by the rifles of the enemy and they immediately opened fire on them, wounding one severely. Allen also continued bombing the enemy when our own party had temporarily withdrawn."). He was Killed in Action at Foncquevillers by a howitzer shell splinter on 15.3.1917, aged 20. He is buried at Foncquevillers Military Cemetery, France. The cemetery register at Fonquevilliers had at one time a handwritten note in it against his name: ”One of D Company’s best bombers. One other killed and 55 wounded by the same howitzer shell landing in Fonquevilliers.”
2Lt T H Ball of the Battalion wrote to his mother: “As his platoon officer I may say that he was a fine soldier ever ready to do his duty and always cheerful and happy. He had just been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in action, saving the lives of two of his comrades. I was present at his burial which was performed to the rites of the Church of England.”
Lt Col C H Jones, his Battalion's Commanding Officer, wrote to his mother: “It was especially sad seeing that he had just won the Military Medal. Today the General came to present ribbons to men who had won the medals and he gave me the enclosed for you. Your son knew he had won the medal the day before he died. He is entitled to it and it will come to you in due course. This is just the ribbon the General gave the men to wear. Your son was with us just one year and he always did his duty. The medal is sufficient to show that. He happened to be standing near his dugout when a shell pitched right in the road, a piece hit him and he died instantly. He died in the evening about six o’clock and you will get the record of his grave if you write to the Director of Graves Registration. Parents have had a very anxious time in this war and it is sad when then young people are cut-off in this fashion. You have the sympathy of us all.”

Some of this information came from the Hinckley& District Museum. ​

Date of Birth : c1897

Place of Birth : Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Date of Death : 15.3.1917

Place of Death : Foncquevillers, France

Civil Occupation : Parson Sherwin and Co, Hinckley.

Period of Service : 1915-17

Conflicts : WW1

Places Served : France