Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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Date Information
16/11/2019 On 28th December 1915 his unit arrived at Alexandria.
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16/11/2019 William Allen was the second son of Richard and Annie Jane Allen. Richard Allen and Annie Jane Gibson were married on 10th August 1886 in the district of Dungannon.
16/11/2019 William Allen was born in Moy, County Tyrone on 15th January 1889. He was the second of nine children.
16/11/2019 The 1901 census does not list William as living with the family in Moy. His father was a rural postman.
16/11/2019 Known family: Richard Allen, Annie Jane Allen, Alexander Allen (born 28th September 1886), William Allen (born 15th January 1889), Mary Allen (born 18th January 1891), Eliza Allen (born 16th August 1893), Annie Allen (born 19th May 1897), Thomas Richard Allen (born 13th May 1899), Charles Ed Allen (born 2nd August 1903), Robert A Allen (born 19th April 1905).
16/11/2019 The 1911 census notes that the family had now moved to house 18 in Atkinson's Avenue, Portadown. William was a 22 year old labourer, living with the family.
16/11/2019 William Allen had previously served with the Royal Irish Fusiliers for two years before emigrating to Australia when he was 23 years old, around 1912.
16/11/2019 Prior to enlisting William worked as a labourer and lived with Mrs Fannie Simmons of John Street, Singleton, New South Wales.
16/11/2019 On 6th November 1915 Private Allen joined his battalion.
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16/11/2019 On 22nd March 1916 he embarked from Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force. He arrived in Marseille on 28th March 1916.
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16/11/2019 William Allen enlisted with the Australian Infantry on 5th May 1915. He gave his next of kin as Anna Allen, 10 Queen Street, Portadown. It is noted that he stated he had served 4 years with Territorial Forces by this time.
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16/11/2019 Private Allen was wounded in action on 24th July 1916. He received a gunshot wound to the leg. On 30th July he was transferred to hospital in England from France He arrived at Perham Downs, England on 21st September.
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16/11/2019 The CWGC record Private William Allen as the son of Mrs A Allen of 39 Carlton Street, Portadown, County Armagh.
16/11/2019 He was a cousin of Bert Allen who was killed in action while serving with the Australians also.
16/11/2019 Private William Allen is buried in Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery at Ypres in Belgium.
16/11/2019 Private Allen proceeded overseas to France on 5th September 1917. He was taken on strength on 25th September 1917.
16/11/2019 Between September 1916 and February 1917 in trouble with authorities, three times, culminating in 18 days detention and forfeit of one month’s pay.
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24/03/2016 Private W Allen, Australians, son of Mr Richard Allen, Carleton Street, Portadown, killed in action.
24/03/2016
24/03/2016 From an unknown Belfast Newspaper
30/12/2015 Private William Allen was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Australian Infantry when he was killed in action in Ypres on 27th October 1917.
30/12/2015
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