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| Regiment/Service: |
13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles (British Army)
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| Date Of Birth: |
19/02/1894
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| Died: |
01/06/1918 (Died of Wounds) |
| Age: |
24 |
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| Robert Allen was the youngest son of Thomas and Agnes Allen. He was born on 19th February 1894 in Edenderry, Lisburn. He was the youngest of at least seven children. His parents died when he was 10/11 years old. Rifleman Robert Allen was serving with the 13th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles when he was wounded and taken prisoner. He was deemed to be unfit for further active service by German doctors and he was being repatriated through Switzerland when he died of his wounds.in Switzerland on 1st June 1918. |
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| It seems at this point that the R Allen listed here has no obvious links with Moy.
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| Robert Allen was the youngest son of Thomas and Agnes Allen. Thomas Allen and Agnes Waterworth were married on 21st August 1881 in Malone Presbyterian Churchm, Belfast.
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| Robert Beeston (Bateson) Allen was born on 19th February 1894 in Edenderry, Lisburn. He was the youngest of at least seven children.
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| Known family: Thomas Allen, Agnes Allen, Esther Kelly Allen (born 1 December 1881, Ballynavally, Lisburn), Ellen Allen (born 16 January 1883, Stranmillis, Belfast), Mary Anne Allen (born 18 June 1884, Stranmillis Road, Belfast), Alexander Allen (born 13 February 1888, Edenderry, Lisburn), Margaret Allen (born 10 April 1890, Edenderry, Lisburn), Robert Allen (born 28 May 1892, Edenderry, Lisburn; died 30 December 1892), Robert Beeston Allen (born 19 February 1894, Edenderry, Lisburn).
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| The 1901 census listes Robert B as age 6 living with the family at house 77 in Edenderry Village, Breda, County Down. His father was a farm labourer.
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| Robert was 10 when his mother, Agnes Allen, died of tuberculosis on 6 March 1904 (aged 51) in Edenderry.
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| Robert was 11 when his father, Thomas Allen, died of tuberculosis on 24 December 1905 (aged 50) in Edenderry.
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| The 1911 census Robert Bateson as age 17, living with his siblings at house 4 in Edenderry Town. Robert was a yarn bundler.
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| Robert Allen enlisted in Comber.
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| Rifleman Robert Allen was serving with the 13th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles when he was wounded and taken prisoner. It is speculated that this happened during the German Spring Offensive that which began in March 1918.
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| Rifleman Robert Allen was deemed to be unfit for further active service by German doctors and he was being repatriated through Switzerland when he died of his wounds.in Switzerland on 1st June 1918. He was 24 years old.
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| Last Will and Testament of Rifleman Robert Allen dated 27th November 1915:
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| In the event of my death, I give the whole of my property and effects to my sister, Margaret Allen, 75 Edenderry, Shaw’s Bridge, County Down. Signed Robert Allen. 17135 13th Royal Irish Rifles.
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| Unusually, Rifleman Allen is buried in Switzerland, in St Martin's Cemetery, Vevey. The cemetery came into being as a result of British and Commonwealth soldiers, sailors and airmen who had been taken prisoner by the Germans and had either escaped or, if badly wounded, were sent by the Germans to be cared for by the Swiss Red Cross, but subsequently died.
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| Rifleman R Allen is commemorated on Moy War Memorial and on a memorial plaque in St James Parish Church, Moy.
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| The CWGC record in attached documents to his next of kin (after the war) as Mrs H Scott, living at 10 Larkstone Street, Balmoral, Belfast.
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| Thanks to Kenny Farquhar for his information. Thanks to Barry Niblock’s website for most of the detail in this biography.
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