Lieutenant Archibald Stafford ALLEN
8th (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

Date of birth: 3rd May 1890
Date of death: 3rd October 1915

Killed in action aged 25
Buried at Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe Plot III Row N Grave 1A
Archibald Stafford Allen was born at "Morwenstow", East Barnet Road, Enfield in Middlesex on the 3rd of May 1890 the only son of John Archibald Allen, a publisher, and Elizabeth Mary (nee Smee) Allen later of "Wynnstow", Limpsfield in Surrey.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until April 1904 where he was a member of the Choir. He was a member of the Football XI in 1903 when the school magazine wrote of his season: - "(Full back) - Slow and unwieldy; has no fear, but kicks poorly and is an unskilful tackler; must learn to time the ball, and avoid hampering his goal keeper."

On leaving the school the magazine wrote the following on him: - "....goes to Wellington. He has been a useful member of the football and hockey teams, the choir, and the stage, and a prize winner in boxing and fencing."

He went on to Wellington College where he was in Mr. Brougham's House from May 1904 to 1908. He had intended to go on to Pembroke College Cambridge, but his father's ill health prevented this, and, instead, he went straight into business.

"Although this was a great disappointment to him, he bore it with his usual cheerfulness."

He devoted much of his spare time to a club for poor boys in Walworth which he had started. He was a member of Limpsfield Chart Golf Club.

On the on the 28th of April 1909 he enlisted the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps as Private C/406 and served with them for four years during which time he was learning the printing trade.

He re-joined them on the outbreak of war and at a medical examination, which was held on the 4th of September 1914, it was recorded that he was five feet seven inches tall and that he weighed 133lbs. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) on the 12th of September 1914 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 20th of January 1915.

He was married to Florence Mary (nee Hammond) at St Mark’s Church, Walworth on the 15th of May 1915.

He embarked for France with his battalion at Folkestone at 5.30pm on the 31st of May 1915, landing at Boulogne at 10.30pm.

At 3.50am on the 9th of August 1915 the battalion was in trenches at Houplines when a heavy enemy bombardment began which lasted until 6.30am during which time an estimated three to four thousand shells fell on to the battalion's sector. The barrage caused heavy damage to the trench system and caused casualties of one officer killed with one wounded and with six other ranks killed and thirteen wounded. Archibald Allen was commended by 36th Brigade to 12th Division for the "good work" he had done during the bombardment.

On the 3rd of October 1915 the battalion was holding a trench at Vermelles near Loos. The battalion war diary takes up the story:-

"In trenches, heavily shelled all day but considering volume of shelling, casualties were fairly small. A digging party ordered to dig a trench from H 13 C 09 directly south for 700 yards. We were unable to do this as our own guns were heavily shelling this bit of ground. Trench marked out but two men killed in doing so; casualties, Lt Allen killed instantly by a shell and buried together with Lt Gullick ( Lieutenant Arthur Louis Gullick of Pirbright in Surrey) of the 6th Buffs who was killed in reconnaissance outside German wire and brought in by our men at G17 B36. A very good young officer and much missed. Other casualties, 9 men killed and 9 men wounded, mainly by shell fire. In evening, about 10pm 200 men at work on new trench."

His father received the following telegram dated the 7th of October 1915: -

"Deeply regret to inform you that Lt. A.S. Allen 8th Royal Fusiliers was killed on 3rd Oct. Lord Kitchener expresses his sympathy".

He was mentioned in Field Marshall Sir John French's dispatches of the 1st of January 1916 for "Gallant and distinguished service in the field".

His Colonel wrote:-

"I wish his friends to know the pride we all had for him. Others who knew him would like to hear how he was loved by one and all, what a gallant boy he was, and how magnificently he maintained the name of the grand regiment to which we all have the honour to belong. A braver and more gallant boy I have never seen; we all loved him and his men simply adored him .... it was with difficulty we could get him to rest".

He was buried, along with Lieutenant Gullick, behind the trenches at the junction of the Hulluch-Vermelles and Loos-La Bassee roads, his body was re-interred at its present location in 1920.

He is commemorated on the war memorial at Wellington College and on the memorials at Tandridge and at Hurst Green in Surrey. He is also commemorated on the memorial at Limpsfield Chart Golf Club.
Went on to Wellington College

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