Harry Allen

53rd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). The 53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion was a basic recruit training battalion, was at some time based at Rugeley, Staffordshire. Before October 1917 it was known as the 13th (Young Soldier) Battalion, with no regimental affiliation, but prior to that was the 14th (Reserve) Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters. The 53rd Battalion moved to Clipstone, Nottinghamshire, in about October 1918. (www.longlongtrail.co.uk) According to an announcement of his death in a local newspaper, A/Company Sergeant Major Harry Allen was accidentally shot and killed in Cologne, Germany, on 29 May 1919. No record has yet been traced of the reason for Allen, who was attached to a recruit training battalion, being in Cologne at the time of his death although there had been an allied garrison in the city since December 1918. He was buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery, Cologne (Koln), Germany (grave ref. IV. B. 5). CWGC - History of Cologne Southern Cemetery (extract): 'More than 1,000 Allied prisoners and dozens of German servicemen were buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery during the First World War. Commonwealth forces entered Cologne on 6 December 1918, less than a month after the Armistice, and the city was occupied under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles until January 1926. During this period the cemetery was used by the occupying garrison. In 1922 it was decided that the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died all over Germany should be brought together into four permanent cemeteries at Kassel, Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne. Over the course of the following year, graves were transferred to Cologne Southern Cemetery from over 180 different burial grounds in Hanover, Hessen, the Rhine and Westphalia. ' (www.cwgc.org)

CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Thy will be done' CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Elijah and Annie Allen, of Nottingham; husband of Mary Ann Allen, of 115, Brushfield St., Hyson Green, Nottingham.' Harry's son, Clifford Ernest Allen, enlisted at Nottingham on 20 May 1919 on a 12 year Short Service Engagement (7 years with the Colours 5 years Army Reserve). He was 18 years 188 days old (b. 13 November 1900) and working as a town carter. He named his parents, brother Gilbert and sisters Mary [Gladys Mary] and Grace, all of 115 Brushfield Street, as his next of kin. Clifford was posted to the Machine Gun Corps (192415) and served with 2nd Bn at No. 2nd Depot, Harrowby Camp. Clifford was discharged from the Army on 18 September 1919, being 'no longer physically fit for war service.' The cause was an old injury to his right hand, sustained before he enlisted; the injury was not attributable to, or aggravated by, army service. Cliffored was discharged to 115 Brushfield Street, having served for 122 days. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour,’ 3 June 1919: ‘Allen. CSM Harry Allen, 53rd Notts & Derby Regt. Accidentally killed in Germany on May 29th. Deeply mourned by loving wife and family, 115 Brushfield-street.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam,’ 31 May 1920: ‘Allen. In loving memory of Harry, late CSM of the Notts and Derbys. who was accidentally killed in Cologne on the 29th of May, 1919. A quick call to a higher life. Wife and children, 115 Brushfield-street’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Ernest's younger brother Gilbert may have attested in the Royal Artillery (776246) in 1927. He was 20 years old, working as a carter and had been serving in the Territorial Force so may have transferred from a Territorial unit that had been reassigned to the RA. He re-enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps on 22 August 1931. No record has yet been found of service in WW2. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: record noted the cause of death as 'accidentally shot' (no other details). His widow Mary Ann Allen was his sole legatee.