Allen, Laurence

Laurence 

Allen

1900 - 1918
Aged18
Rank Private
Service no.99409
DiedJuly 11, 1918

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About

About
Laurence
Allen

Arthur Allen, born in 1870 was a Shoe Laster, married Sarah Matilda Willson in July 1889, the couple lived at 303 Avenue Road Extension, Clarendon Park. By the 1911 census the couple had 11 children all living at home.

Their oldest son, Herbert, born in 1890, he joined the Royal Horse & Field Artillery 176th Brigade in June 1915 and later posted to France. He survived the war and was eventually transferred to the Army Reserves in May 1919. He married Mabel English in 1922.

Their second son, Arthur, born in 1896 and was their 4th child, was on the troop ship HMT Royal Edward which embarked on 28th July 1915 with 1367 officers and men aboard, it was heading for Moudros on the Island of Lemnos which was the staging point for the Dardanelles. On the 13th August they passed the Hospital Ship Soudan, the German Submarine UB-14 which was off the Island of Kandeloussa saw both ships. It allowed the Soudan to pass and launched a torpedo which hit the Royal Edward in the Stern, it sunk within 6 minutes.

Although figures very it is believed that 864 lives were lost and at least 661 were rescued. The death toll was high as they had just completed a boat drill and a majority of the men were below decks re-stowing their equipment.

On 5th September 1915 the War Office Casualty List stated that Arthur was missing, believed drowned as a result of the loss of HMT Royal Edward, he was aged 20. The Helles memorial in Turkey, includes panels for those lost at sea from the Troopship sunk off Gallipoli. He is also listed on the Clarendon Park Congregational Church War Memorial.

Arthur and Sarah’s third son, and their 6th child, Lawrence born in 1900 was Killed in Action on 11th July 1918 aged 18. He is buried at Houchin British Cemetery in France and his inscription reads ‘He Sacrificed His Life For Others Gone But Not Forgotten Father and Mother’.