Name
Percival Arthur Allen
16 June 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/11/1918
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
306528
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
1st/8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BUSIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
II. B. 15.
France
Headstone Inscription
THE LORD HATH PREPARED HIS THRONE IN THE HEAVENS
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Berkhamsted memorials, Not on the Bovingdon memorials, War Memorial, Church of St Margaret of Antioch, Iver Heath, Bucks
Pre War
Percival Arthur Allen was born on 16 June 1887 in Hemel Hempstead, Herts, the son of Jonah and Elizabeth Allen and one of eight children, although two had died by 1911. He was baptised on 7 August 1887 in Bovingdon, Herts.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Winkwell, Hemel Hempstead where his father was a watercress gardener. They had moved to Iver, Bucks by 1901 and were living at Blanchards Farm and his father carried on his trade as a watercress grower. His mother died in 1903 but on the 1911 Census the family remained at Blanchards Farm and Percival was living with his widowed father, widowed brother Archibald and sister Esther who was single and gave her occupation as housekeeper.
His father died in 1915 and his sister Esther married Thomas Priest, (who was a visitor at their home in 1911) later the same year.
Wartime Service
He attested on 23 November 1915 and was initially put into the army reserve, eventually being mobilised on 29 February 1916. He served with the 1/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and was sent to France on 3 June 1916 but was transferred back to England on 8 July 1916 following a gunshot wound to the scalp.
Percival returned to the Front on 30 August 1916 and seems to have served in Italy as he is recorded as being on leave from Italy from 12 -25 February 1918, returning to the front on 26 Feb 1918.
He was wounded in action and suffered a gunshot wound to the thigh. He died of his wounds on 10 November 1918, aged 31 at the 12th Casualty Clearing Station, France. which had moved to Busigny on 23 October 1918. He is buried in Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Additional Information
His brother Charles received a war gratuity of £12 10s and his pay owing was divided between brothers Charles, William and Archibald and sisters Esther, Dorcas and sister in law Edith.
Both his parents having died, his sister Esther received his personal belongings.
His brother Archibald served with the Army Service Corps in Gallipoli and was in receipt of a war pension from 1919.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
