Pte William Allen, born Dromore, 7th (Service) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, Service N° 9331

[George Millar]

I’m struggling with this one so any help would be appreciated. What I know is as follows:

William Allen was born in Drummiller, Dromore, Co down on the 4th October 1897, one of 6 children born to parents Thomas Allen & Jane Mills having 3 brothers & 2 sisters. William’s parents were married on the 24th October 1885 in the First Presbyterian Church in Seapatrick, Banbridge but after their marriage had settled in Drummiller, Dromore. In the 1901 Census of Ireland the family were living at N° 15 Drummiller and William’s father Thomas was working as a “General Labourer”. However, by the time of the 1911 Census of Ireland they had relocated to N° 21 Wesley Street, Lisburn, Co Antrim. Thomas was still working as a “General Labourer”. By this time their oldest daughter Jemima had gone to live in the United States of America and married Thomas John Graham.

During the First World War, at least 3 of their sons had joined up to serve, Thomas John Allen as an Ordinary Seaman in the Royal Navy, Service N° J53692, David as a Private in the Irish Guards, Service N° 8394 and William as a Private in the Royal Irish Rifles, Service N° 9331. Their other son James might also have served but I haven’t been able to confirm this at this time.

As regards William’s military service, unfortunately his service records were one of those destroyed in World War 2 so very little is known on him. What is known is that he enlisted into the Royal Irish Rifles on the 6th July 1916 possibly in Lisburn on his 18th birthday and given the Service N° 9331. From another service record that I have found it seems he would have been initially posted to the 5th (Extra Reserve) battalion which had been formed at Downpatrick in August 1914. It then seems (if I am reading his Medal Rolls Index Card correctly) that he was posted to the 7th (Service) Battalion of the regiment. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to establish when this took place or when he went to France. Perhaps he was sent to the N° 16 IBD in France and then allocated to his new battalion from there? The 7th (Service) Battalion was in the 48th Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division and the battalion had seen plenty of action with the division during phases of the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and it is possible that William was in a draft of men to bring the battalion back up to strength.

Not a great deal more is known about him during his time with the 7th battalion other than he then transferred to the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles which was in the 74th Brigade of the 25th Division still with the same Service N° 9331. Perhaps this was when the 2nd Battalion transferred to the 108th Brigade in the 36th (Ulster) Division on the 13th November 1917 and when they absorbed the 7th Battalion. It’s only guesswork on my part.

Then he was transferred to the 2/23rd (County of London) Battalion London Regiment Territorial Force with a new Service N° 46075. The 2/23rd battalion had been in the 181st Brigade of the 60th (2/2nd London) Division and had been in Egypt in 1917 but had left the division in May 1918 and joined the 21st Brigade in the 30th Division. However, with this being a Territorial Division why would he not have had a 6 digit service number? I thought that all the soldiers were renumbered in early 1917 with new 6 digit service numbers?

Again, not much s known about his time with the London Regiment other than he was then transferred to the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion East Surrey Regiment still with the Service N° 46075. William was discharged on the 13th June 1919 under Para 392 (xvia) K.R. as being “Surplus to military requirements” and having “suffered impairment since entry into the service during a period of war”. On discharge, he was awarded a Silver War Badge N° B262846.

William returned to his native Lisburn, his address on discharge given as N° 9 Wesley Terrace, Lisburn and I believe that he died on the 7th March 1970 in Lisburn, Co Antrim aged 75 years.

I would appreciate if anyone could shed some light on his military service. Many thanks in advance.

George

Images courtesy of Ancestry & irishgenealogy.ie

[chaz]

Full Name  Allen, W

Incident Details  War Office Daily List No.5744

Incident Date  10 Dec 1918

Rank Name  Private

Service Number  46075

Casualty Listed As  Wounded

Next Of Kin Address  Lisburn

Wound Stripe  Entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of the 6th July 1916. The terms of this award being named on this list.

Service  British Army

Primary Unit  London Regiment

Archive Reference  NLS 1918_WList72

from this you could check on the London Regt war diary for the incident date . I also see from his SWB he was 3rd East Surrey Regt . He had a GSW to Right leg. Discharged 13th June 1919. If later post armistice wounding it may have been noted in the diary . 

this last line seems to suggest it was a late war wounding or possibly an earlier one that turned worse later.

 

[Matlock1418]

18 hours ago, George Millar said:

William was discharged on the 13th June 1919 under Para 392 (xvia) K.R. as being “Surplus to military requirements” and having “suffered impairment since entry into the service during a period of war”. On discharge, he was awarded a Silver War Badge N° B262846.

Pension ledger page at WFA/Fold3 records:

GSW Lt Leg - 22.6.20 got a final payment of £60 [£50 Gratuity plus £10 for 2 years service]

M

Edited 22 February by Matlock1418

[George Millar]

chaz & Matlock

Many thanks for the comments. I'll check the war diary for the London Regiment and see what I can come up with. Any thoughts why he didn't have a six digit service number when with the London Regiment or were the excluded from the renumbering in early 1917?

George

[Ivor Anderson]

He retained his 46075 number when he moved from the London Regt. to the E Surrey Regt. His SWB listing confirms his enlistment & discharge dates:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/2456/images/wo329_3048-00049?treeid=&personid=&queryId=acee8106-07bc-44ba-9ba7-62d6b3ddd787&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qzF14874&_phstart=successSource&pId=265941

He was on the weekly casualty lists as 46075 London Regt. on 18 Dec 1918: https://deriv.nls.uk/dcn30/1941/7231/194172319.30.jpg

so he was probably wounded late October 1918 and moved to the E Surreys on his recovery, post hostilities, until 13 June 1919.

Edited 22 February by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[Ivor Anderson]

His transfer to 46075 London Regt. must have been after the 1917 renumbering? Poss after their return to France in 1918?

Many of those who transferred with him to 2/23rd London Regt. were in Reserve battalions like 3rd R Irish Rifles:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/2410751:5119?tid=&pid=&queryId=22a77a19-e11c-485f-88dc-ed6e337a68d0&_phsrc=qzF14942&_phstart=successSource

Michael Neary 46068 2/23rd London Regt & E Surrey only enlisted 30th April 1918 as 22533 3rd R Irish Rifles - SWB:  https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/2410751:5119?tid=&pid=&queryId=22a77a19-e11c-485f-88dc-ed6e337a68d0&_phsrc=qzF14942&_phstart=successSource

 

Edited 22 February by Ivor Anderson
Additional Info

[George Millar]

Ivor,

Many thanks for the comments. I had a look at the 2/23rd London Regiment's war diary and the last entry with a significant incident of casualties was given as follows. The incident took place on the 20th October 1918. The battalion had moved forward to Preshoek near Aelbeke and went into billets there. The following day they were on the move again but were held up by enemy machine-gun fire near Geuzenhoek. They suffered casualties of 3 men killed and a further 24 men wounded. Lieutenants Williams & Ford were also wounded. This might have been the time when William was wounded. As usual no names are mentioned in the war diary for the other ranks but I am assuming that he was one of the wounded then. As you have said Ivor, he must have been transferred to the East Surrey's on recovery from his wounds and the demobilized from them.

Do you think that he was possibly transferred to the 2nd battalion Royal Irish Rifles when they absorbed the 7th battalion?

Thanks again for the comments.

George

 

Edited 22 February by George Millar

[Ivor Anderson]

2 hours ago, George Millar said:

Do you think that he was possibly transferred to the 2nd battalion Royal Irish Rifles when they absorbed the 7th battalion?

In the absence of other evidence that makes sense (14 Nov 1917): https://wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/battalion.php?pid=6356

[George Millar]

Ivor,

Sorry for the delay in replying and once again many thanks for your comments.

chaz & Matlock,

Just read your comments again and chaz you said he had a GSW to Right leg and Matlock a GSW to Left leg. I'm presuming one of these is a clerical error or would he have been wounded in both legs?

George