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 |
General information
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Last known residence: 2 Mill Lane, 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: Menin Road, 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 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
George Walter Allen was born in November 1898 in Westerham, Kent, England. He was the son of Florence Louise (Paige) Allen and William Henry Allen. George also had 3 brothers and 5 sisters: Frederick Charles Paige (born about 1889), Ellen Paige (born about 1891), William Henry Allen (born about 1893), Fanny Louise Ann Allen (born about 1894), Alfred Edward Allen (born about 1896), Emily Elizabeth Allen (born about 1897), Dorothy Sara (Dora) Allen (born about 1900, but died a year later) and Alice Ada Allen (born about 1908). His last residence was at 2 Mill Lane, Westerham, Kent, England. Some say he was the 'news boy'. So George may have been a newspaper seller before joining the army. George enlisted in the British Army at Sevenoaks, Kent, England, where he served in the 1st Battalion Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment (13th Brigade, 5th Division).
George died on Friday 26 October 1917 during the Second Battle of Passchendaele, which lasted until 10 November 1917. This battle was the final phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. During the First Battle of Passchendaele, on 12 October 1917, the British command had already made an initial attempt to capture the village of Passchendaele. Passchendaele was a strategically important village because it was located on high ground overlooking the battlefields around the Ypres Salient. The British command therefore planned a new attempt that began on 26 October and was called the Second Battle of Passchendaele. However, it was difficult to attack due to the wet weather and extremely muddy conditions. Despite many preferences on the central and allied sides, the allies were able to gain a few kilometres of ground, but the strategic objectives of taking Passchendaele were not fully achieved. The British army had only been able to advance halfway to its original objective, namely to the German-controlled railway junction at Roeselare.
On 26 October 1917, the 5th Division attacked with the 13th Brigade on the right. That Brigade attacked with the 1st Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment on the right and the 2nd Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers on the left; the 14th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment was in support and the 15th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment was in reserve. To ensure that the 1st and 2nd Battalions did not get mixed up during the battle, both battalions were separated by a line running from Veldhoek to Polderhoek.
The task of the 5th Division in this battle was to capture the Spur south-west of Polderhoekbeek and to assist the 21st Division in the capture of Reutel. Together with the capture of the Spur north-west of Gheluvelt, the aim of this task was to protect the flank of the whole operation and to cover the advance through Gheluvelt effectively. Thus where the 5th Division should have been hit was on the line of the Menin Road north-west from Scherriabeek to the area between Polderhoek and Poezelhoek and further north-west to just beyond Juniper Wood and Juniper Cottage. The 1st Battalion eventually got only a few yards beyond its starting positions.
Before the attack began, B and C Companies of the battalion withdrew from the front and support lines at around 4 a.m. to take up their starting positions. These battalion positions were south of the Polderhoek and against the Menin Road. The battalion was in position by 4.30 a.m. For an hour the Germans laid down a heavy barrage of grenade and machine gun fire for the attack. This lasted until the attack began at 5.40 a.m. D Company then advanced, closely supported by B Company. At the same time, A Company advanced to the trenches from which B and D Companies had withdrawn at around 4 a.m. to take up their starting positions.
After 7 a.m., news was received by battalion heaquarters that B Company had made contact with the 20th Brigade on the right flank. C Company, on the other hand, was ordered a little later to extend the line to the Menin Road, as stragglers had to be collected and organised to hold the line. C Company also attempted to capture pill boxes held by Germans on the north side of the Menin Road, but the company failed. However, the line from the Menin Road to the west of the Scherriabeek was held by parts of A and C Companies of the battalion and by the 8th and 9th Battalions Devonshire Regiments. Small support lines were also set up just north of the Menin Road.
At 5.15 pm information was received that the Germans had already passed Gheluvelt in the direction of the battalion. The battalion therefore gave an S.O.S. signal and the British artillery responded but ceased fire shortly afterwards. The Germans then counter-attacked, not by an infantry action, but by a scattered bombardment. At 6pm, two companies of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment arrived and took over the line north of the Menin Road. Another company of the King's Own Scottish Borderers was moved north and C Company of the 1st Battalion held the left of the line. The 8th and 9th Battalions Devonshire Regiment withdrew to the support line, where they prepared for a possible counter-attack. When the battalion was finally relieved, it moved to Bedford House for rest.
The battalion then moved on to Ridge Wood Camp. The 1st Battalion's attack at the Second Battle of Passchendaele was carried out in extremely difficult conditions due to bad weather and mud. The battle also cost the battalion 347 casualties, including 18-year-old George Walter Allen. He died near the Menin Road, where his body was found after the war. He was subsequently reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery (Plot XLIX, Row C, Grave 10).
George died on Friday 26 October 1917 during the Second Battle of Passchendaele, which lasted until 10 November 1917. This battle was the final phase of the Battle of Passchendaele. During the First Battle of Passchendaele, on 12 October 1917, the British command had already made an initial attempt to capture the village of Passchendaele. Passchendaele was a strategically important village because it was located on high ground overlooking the battlefields around the Ypres Salient. The British command therefore planned a new attempt that began on 26 October and was called the Second Battle of Passchendaele. However, it was difficult to attack due to the wet weather and extremely muddy conditions. Despite many preferences on the central and allied sides, the allies were able to gain a few kilometres of ground, but the strategic objectives of taking Passchendaele were not fully achieved. The British army had only been able to advance halfway to its original objective, namely to the German-controlled railway junction at Roeselare.
On 26 October 1917, the 5th Division attacked with the 13th Brigade on the right. That Brigade attacked with the 1st Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment on the right and the 2nd Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers on the left; the 14th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment was in support and the 15th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment was in reserve. To ensure that the 1st and 2nd Battalions did not get mixed up during the battle, both battalions were separated by a line running from Veldhoek to Polderhoek.
The task of the 5th Division in this battle was to capture the Spur south-west of Polderhoekbeek and to assist the 21st Division in the capture of Reutel. Together with the capture of the Spur north-west of Gheluvelt, the aim of this task was to protect the flank of the whole operation and to cover the advance through Gheluvelt effectively. Thus where the 5th Division should have been hit was on the line of the Menin Road north-west from Scherriabeek to the area between Polderhoek and Poezelhoek and further north-west to just beyond Juniper Wood and Juniper Cottage. The 1st Battalion eventually got only a few yards beyond its starting positions.
Before the attack began, B and C Companies of the battalion withdrew from the front and support lines at around 4 a.m. to take up their starting positions. These battalion positions were south of the Polderhoek and against the Menin Road. The battalion was in position by 4.30 a.m. For an hour the Germans laid down a heavy barrage of grenade and machine gun fire for the attack. This lasted until the attack began at 5.40 a.m. D Company then advanced, closely supported by B Company. At the same time, A Company advanced to the trenches from which B and D Companies had withdrawn at around 4 a.m. to take up their starting positions.
After 7 a.m., news was received by battalion heaquarters that B Company had made contact with the 20th Brigade on the right flank. C Company, on the other hand, was ordered a little later to extend the line to the Menin Road, as stragglers had to be collected and organised to hold the line. C Company also attempted to capture pill boxes held by Germans on the north side of the Menin Road, but the company failed. However, the line from the Menin Road to the west of the Scherriabeek was held by parts of A and C Companies of the battalion and by the 8th and 9th Battalions Devonshire Regiments. Small support lines were also set up just north of the Menin Road.
At 5.15 pm information was received that the Germans had already passed Gheluvelt in the direction of the battalion. The battalion therefore gave an S.O.S. signal and the British artillery responded but ceased fire shortly afterwards. The Germans then counter-attacked, not by an infantry action, but by a scattered bombardment. At 6pm, two companies of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment arrived and took over the line north of the Menin Road. Another company of the King's Own Scottish Borderers was moved north and C Company of the 1st Battalion held the left of the line. The 8th and 9th Battalions Devonshire Regiment withdrew to the support line, where they prepared for a possible counter-attack. When the battalion was finally relieved, it moved to Bedford House for rest.
The battalion then moved on to Ridge Wood Camp. The 1st Battalion's attack at the Second Battle of Passchendaele was carried out in extremely difficult conditions due to bad weather and mud. The battle also cost the battalion 347 casualties, including 18-year-old George Walter Allen. He died near the Menin Road, where his body was found after the war. He was subsequently reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery (Plot XLIX, Row C, Grave 10).
Sources 5
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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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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). 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 |