Name
Stephen John Allen
8 Jun 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/08/1917
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
7036
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
16th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARTILLERY WOOD CEMETERY
X. C. 19.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
THY WILL BE DONE GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS
UK & Other Memorials
Borehamwood Town Memorial, All Saints Church Memorial, Borehamwood, Not on the Elstree memorials
Pre War
Stephen John Allen was born in on 8 Jun 1884 to Stephen John Allen, a coal porter, and Jemima (nee Taylor). On the 1891 Census Stephen and the family of father, mother and 6 other children were living at Alpha Place North, Willesden. There would be 10 children eventually.
Stephen joined the Militia, 7th Royal Fusiliers, on 30 Jun 1899 and following his 49 days of drill he attested for the Royal West Surrey (Queens) Regiment as Private 6387 on 30 Jan 1900. He served in South Africa, (King’s South Africa Medal, Orange Free State and Transvaal) as well as India and Gibraltar. Stephen completed his service in 1912. He married Violet Elizabeth Aldridge on 24 Mar 1913 in Willesden there would be 2 Children, Ivy May (1915) and Stephen John (1918).
On the 1911 Census his Father, Mother and 2 children were living at 3 County Cottages Borehamwood.
A newspaper report in September 1917 lists Stephen as "of Elstree"
Wartime Service
Stephen enlisted in the Middlesex Regiment as private 7036.
His medal card shows 4th Battalion and that he went to France on 9 Oct 1914 and so may have served them at Loos. He attained the Rank of Serjeant at some time during his service. Also, at some time he was transferred to the 16th (Public Schools) Battalion. This Battalion was transferred to 29 Division in Apr 1916 and served in the Somme Battles of Albert and Transloy Ridge before being deployed to take part in the Battles of the Scarpe (Arras 1917) and then to Ypres area in Aug 1917 where Stephen was killed in action on 11 Aug 1917 prior to the Battle of Langemark .
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs V. E. Marlborough, 3 Furzes Hiil Cottage, Borehamwood, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "THY WILL BE DONE GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS". His widow Violet received a widows pension of 25/5 a week from 4 March 1918, and his War Gratuity of £17 and £17 6s 3d Pay Owing.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper, Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild, Taff Williams,
