Pte
George Walter Allen
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1898 |
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Place of birth: Westerham, Kent, England, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: G/23228 |
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Enlistment place: Sevenoaks, Kent, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 1st Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Gheluvelt Wood, Geluveld, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 19 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XLIX Row: C Grave: 10 |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
George Walter Allen was born about 1898 in Westerham, Kent, England. He was the son of Florence Louisa Allen. George enlisted in the British Army at Sevenoaks, Kent, and enlisted as a private in the 1st Battalion Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment (13th Brigade, 5th Division).
George died during the Second Battle of Passchendaele, which began on 26 October 1917. The 5th Division attacked with one brigade, the 13th Brigade, at 5.40 am. The 1st Battalion of the Royal West Kent attacked in the Scherriabeek valley, where they encountered an impassable bog. The battalion tried to push through under fire from Gheluvelt. The 15th Royal Warwicks, part of the 13th Brigade, in the centre managed to clear Polderhoek Château and the surrounding park. The last battalion of the 13th Brigade, the 14th Royal Warwicks, on the left was stopped along the Reutelbeek. The right was far enough forward to join the 15th Battalion Royal Warwicks. The troops in Polderhoek Château withdrew to straighten the line. However, the Germans recaptured the strong point, machine-gunned the new position of the 13th Brigade and counter-attacked. By evening the attackers had fallen back to their original line.
During this battle George died on 26 October 1917, aged 18. He is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery (plot XLIX, row C, grave 10).
George died during the Second Battle of Passchendaele, which began on 26 October 1917. The 5th Division attacked with one brigade, the 13th Brigade, at 5.40 am. The 1st Battalion of the Royal West Kent attacked in the Scherriabeek valley, where they encountered an impassable bog. The battalion tried to push through under fire from Gheluvelt. The 15th Royal Warwicks, part of the 13th Brigade, in the centre managed to clear Polderhoek Château and the surrounding park. The last battalion of the 13th Brigade, the 14th Royal Warwicks, on the left was stopped along the Reutelbeek. The right was far enough forward to join the 15th Battalion Royal Warwicks. The troops in Polderhoek Château withdrew to straighten the line. However, the Germans recaptured the strong point, machine-gunned the new position of the 13th Brigade and counter-attacked. By evening the attackers had fallen back to their original line.
During this battle George died on 26 October 1917, aged 18. He is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery (plot XLIX, row C, grave 10).
Sources 4
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1 Battalion Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1555/1). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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British Army World War I Service Medal and Awards Rolls, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 329). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), 144-145. Sources used |
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Soldier's Effects records (National Army Museum, Chelsea (NAM) 1901-60; NAM Accesion Number: 1991-02-333). https://www.nam.ac.uk/ Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461726 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=952632f0-893c-4e55-84ac-488851566976 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/24881 |