Dec 23, 1901

Attested into the Canadian Yeomanry at Kingston Ontario 

Ø      Number 687

Ø      Next of kin given as James F Allen (father) of 16 St Lawrence Ave., Kingston Ontario

Ø      Previous occupation given as Mariner

Ø      Previous military experience given as “14^th PWOR” (discharge produced)

Ø      Religion given as 1^st Congregational

Ø      Assigned to 2^nd Regiment CMR (Canadian Mounted Rifles) and placed in “F” Squadron

Jan 14, 1902

Embarked the SS Manhattan at Halifax Nova Scotia as part of the 5^th Contingent

Feb 13, 1902

Disembarked at Cape Town South Africa and proceeded to Newcastle in Natal for training.

Jun 30, 1902
(approx)

Embarked the SS Winifredian and returned to Canada

 Date and location of discharge is not presently known.

Aug 13, 1904

Queen’s South Africa Medal with Cape Colony and Transvaal Clasps issued and sent to 94 Jackson St., Hamilton Ontario

Jun 19, 1915

Attested into the 21^st Battalion at West Sandling Camp, England 

Ø      Number 60111

Ø      Next of kin given as Mrs Minnie Bell Allen (wife) of 425 Fell St., San Francisco California

o       Later changed to British Consul General, San Francisco, California, USA

Ø      Previous occupation given as Chauffeur

Ø      Previous military experience given as

o       7 years in PWOR,

o       2 years in 47^th Battalion,

o       3 years in GGBG,

o       9 months in the 2^nd CMR

o       There are no pages in the file that record his service with either the 47^th Bttn, or the 2^nd CMR

Ø      Religion given as Church of England

Ø      Assigned to the Depot Company

Aug 25, 1915

Transferred to the No 1 Company

Sep 14, 1915

Embarked at Folkstone for France

Sep 15, 1915

Disembarked at Boulogne France

Nov 22, 1915

Employed as the Divisional Carpenter

Dec 5, 1915

Sentenced to 14 days Field Punishment No 2 for refusing to work, Conduct to the Prejudice of Good Order and Insolence to an NCO

Jan 7, 1916

Attached to the 250^th Tunneling Company for duty

Apr 10, 1916

Attached to the 2^nd Canadian Tunneling Company

May 28, 1916

Attached to the 1^st Canadian Tunneling Company

Aug 8, 1916

Admitted to No 5 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance) with PUO (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin, which is more commonly called Trench Fever)

Aug 11, 1916

Discharged to duty

Dec 2, 1916

Admitted to the 69^th Field Ambulance (BEF) at 4.00 am, treated and then transferred to 2^nd CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) after being run over by an ambulance on the road

Dec 3, 1916

Died from his wounds

 Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
Poperinghe, Belgium

Dec 6, 1916

Statements from the ambulance driver and his assistant (both from the 69^th Field Ambulance, BEF), along with the medical officer of the No 2 CCS were filed.  The main points from these affidavits are: 

Ø      The ambulance was dispatched to pick up a wounded man at 1.30 am

Ø      The driver saw a shadow on the road and thought it was a shell hole (approximately 20 yards beyond SHRAPNEL CORNER) and continued slowly

Ø      This turned out to be Pte Allen lying in the middle of the road and the ambulance drove over top of him.  It then stopped when it was realized what had happened

Ø      He was pulled from under the vehicle.  His head was badly cut and bandaged at the scene

Ø      The ambulance was at a speed of 10 to 12 mph when the accident occurred

Ø      The attending Doctor at No 2 CCS wrote that the patient was never coherent enough to give his own description of what happened 

No charges were laid in the incident

British War Medal, Victory Medal, Death Plaque and Memorial Cross were sent to his widow c/o The British Consul General, San Francisco California, USA