George William Allen

George William Allen enlisted on 13 March 1913 into the 4th Reserve Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) He was mobilised in August 1914 and sent to join the 1st Battalion on 27 December 1914. George William Allen was killed in action on 12 March 1915. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial. The Battle of Neuve Chapelle began on 10 March 1915 with a British assault which gained some ground. The 1st Battalion then entrenched and overnight the Germans reinforced their line. The 11th saw heavy enemy artillery fire which caused mounting casualties. The morning of 12th was very misty and at 5 a.m., the enemy opened up with a heavy artillery barrage, shelling the battalion HQ. The enemy infantry then moved forward en-masse attacking the four points on the battalion front. The men inflicted heavy losses on the enemy before retiring 150 yards to the support trench. The massed ranks of the enemy continued to advance but were thrown into disarray by company bomber Private Rivers. The battalion regained its trenches in a series of charges but they had suffered heavy casualties in the process. Half of the battalion had become casualties including George who was killed in action at some point during the fighting. Private Rivers won the Victoria Cross for his heroism but was also killed.

Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 9 April 1915: ‘Allen. Killed in action, at Neuve Chapelle, March 12th, Private GW Allen, 1st Batt. Sherwood Foresters, the dearly-beloved son of W and Kate Allen, 1 Mayfield-Terrace, Curtis-street, Nottingham, aged 18½ years. Deeply mourned. He did his duty.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)