John Allsopp

NOTTINGHAM SOUTHERN CEMETERY Sec. H.36. Grave 82.

John Allsopp served in both world wars.

He enlisted (8995) at Nottingham in 1907 and served with 2nd Bn York & Lancaster Regiment through the early battles of World War One. Allsopp arrived in theatre very early (9/9/1914) and was thus entitled to a Clasp and Roses for his 1914 Star. He survived 1st Ypres during which the battalion suffered 63 fatalities, was wounded at Hooge on August 9th 1915 during an engagement which saw his unit have 48 men killed, 201 wounded with 42 missing. Allsopp received a gunshot wound to his right shoulder on April 30th 1916.

He was diagnosed with shell shock (‘caused by being blown up’) and contracted flu’ in April 1917. After hospitalization in the UK, Allsopp was at the Etaples camp by 3/8/1917 and was posted to 13th Bn York & Lancs two weeks later. On June 27th 1918, 13th York & Lancs were ordered to take an enemy position called Ankle Farm near Hazebrouck, near Ypres as the allies struggled to repulse Ludendorff’s final attempt to achieve victory. Difficulties encountered emerge from 13 Y&L’s war diary:

‘At 8am – owing to the intensity of shelling, the assembly of men working in the area had to be temporarily suspended, movement of materials being impossible.’ That Allsopp was one of 11 men from his unit ‘awarded the MM for gallantry and devotion to duty in the attack on Ankle Farm’ testifies to the ferocity and viciousness of hand to hand fighting during this action.
Like many Great War veterans, Allsopp joined the Reserve during the late 1930s and was called up for Home duties with the Norfolk Regiment. He died suddenly whilst serving near Northampton in 1942.

CWGC's headstone incorrectly cites 59 as Allsopp's age at death. He was in fact 54. 9 and 4 are easily confused with some handwriting and this mis-transcription must have happened at some point in the process of documenting Allsopp's long and distinguished military career.

Research by David Nunn