Name
Francis Edward Allen
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/04/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
York and Lancaster Regiment
1st/5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 125 to 128.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Wheathampstead Village Memorial,
Ind Plaque in St Helens Church, Wheathampstead
Pre War
Francis Edward was born in 1894 (baptised 30 Sep 1894) in Wheathampstead to George Allen, a groom domestic, and Martha Jane (nee Tidd).
On the 1901 Census Francis was living with his parents, older brother William George (born 1894), and younger brothers Walter J (born 1898), Harold Sidney (born 1899) and Cecil E (born 1901) at Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead. On the 1911 Census at the same address Francis was working as a Baker’s Assistant, and there had been the addition of a daughter Mary (born 1911). William G is not listed.
Wartime Service
Francis enlisted in the Hertfordshire Regiment as Private 5605. This serial Number was issued in Oct/Nov 1915.
His service records are not available but Francis was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on 16 Jul 1916 and posted to 1/5 Yorks & Lancaster Regiment in France (both Francis and his regiment were still classed as Territorials). 1/5 Yorks & Lancaster where part of 49 (West Riding) Division and took part in the Battle of Poelcappelle in Oct 1917 (Part of the Paschendaele of 3rd Ypres Battles) and also during the German Spring Offensive in the Battle of Messine 10 – 11 April 1918. During this Battle Francis was killed in Action on 11 April 1918.
His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres.
Additional Information
War Gratuity £5 and Arrears of £98 16s 5d was paid to his brother William G Allen.
Brother Harold served as Private 136935 Machine Gun Corps and was killed in action on 26 Oct 1918.
CWGC records his age as 24, but his plaque in St Helens Church, Wheathampstead, gives 15 and his death as 10 days later in the 21st.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
