2nd Lt
William Frederick Allen
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1893 |
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Place of birth: Bermuda, United States of America |
Army information
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Country: Verenigd Koninkrijk |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Second Lieutenant |
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Units: — East Lancashire Regiment, 3rd Bn. attd. 2nd/4th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 09/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Tyne Cottage, Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 24 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXVII Row: A Grave: 4 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Frederick William Allen was born in Bermuda, an overseas territory under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom in the Atlantic Ocean. Frederick enlisted in the British Army during World War I. He served in the 3rd Reserve Battalion 2nd/4th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment (198th Brigade, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division).
At the beginning of the Battle of Poelcappelle, the 66th Division attacked with 2 brigades: the 197th Brigade and the 198th Brigade. The latter brigade attacked with the 2/9th Manchesters, the 2/4th East Lancashires, the 2/5th East Lancashires in support and the 2/10th Manchesters in reserve. Hampered by mud and some abandoned trenches on the lower slopes above the Ravebeek, which were wide, deep and water-filled, the attacking troops received enfilade machine-gun fire from Bellevue across the valley. By noon, the 2/4th Battalion was halted 300 metres from the objective. Consolidation then began. Remnants of the 2/5th Battalion were withdrawn from a line behind the 2 front-line battalions in anticipation of counterattacks. Towards evening, the Germans launched a counterattack. This was repulsed by the 2/5th Battalion with artillery support and small arms fire.
Monday 9 October 1917, the day Frederick fell, marked the beginning of the Battle of Poelcappelle. This battle caused many casualties: among the officers, 6 were wounded and 4 killed. Among the other ranks, the battle also caused many casualties, including Frederick. He is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery (Plot XXVII, Row A, Grave 4).
At the beginning of the Battle of Poelcappelle, the 66th Division attacked with 2 brigades: the 197th Brigade and the 198th Brigade. The latter brigade attacked with the 2/9th Manchesters, the 2/4th East Lancashires, the 2/5th East Lancashires in support and the 2/10th Manchesters in reserve. Hampered by mud and some abandoned trenches on the lower slopes above the Ravebeek, which were wide, deep and water-filled, the attacking troops received enfilade machine-gun fire from Bellevue across the valley. By noon, the 2/4th Battalion was halted 300 metres from the objective. Consolidation then began. Remnants of the 2/5th Battalion were withdrawn from a line behind the 2 front-line battalions in anticipation of counterattacks. Towards evening, the Germans launched a counterattack. This was repulsed by the 2/5th Battalion with artillery support and small arms fire.
Monday 9 October 1917, the day Frederick fell, marked the beginning of the Battle of Poelcappelle. This battle caused many casualties: among the officers, 6 were wounded and 4 killed. Among the other ranks, the battle also caused many casualties, including Frederick. He is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery (Plot XXVII, Row A, Grave 4).
Sources 3
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2/4 Battalion East Lancashire Regiment war diary (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/3141/3). http://nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), p.122. Sources used |
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War Office: Soldiers' Documents (The National Archives, Kew (TNA) WO 363). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
More information 3
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461731 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=ee8b2f38-3755-4abd-9b0c-29088f7a48cd |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/30567 |