F. J. Allen
Second Lieutenant, Devonshire Regiment, “C” Coy. 9th Battalion
Died age 22 on 27 September 1915
CWGC: “Son of Frederick Herbert and Alice Allen, of 79 Union Road, Clapham, London.”
Remembered at Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, at St John’s Church, Clapham Road, London SW9
Information from the Royal Bank of Scotland archives:
Frederick John Allen joined the London County and Westminster Bank on 6 October 1910 at the Victoria Street branch in London SW1. He remained there until he joined the Army. The bank was later incorporated into Royal Bank of Scotland. The following is an extract from the County & Westminster staff magazine of November 1915:
A photograph also appears of Second Lieut. J. F. Allen, of the Victoria Street Branch. He was educated at the Westminster City School, and received his earliest military training in their cadet corps. He joined the Artists and was a first rate shot, being in the eight that won the Daily Telegraph Cup for H Company, and later in the sixteen which ran second in the Inter-Battalion Cup. He was the first volunteer to mount guard at the outer gate of the Tower of London. After receiving his commission in the 9th Devons he became Signalling Officer and was selected for a special job by the Brigadier.
Information from the 1911 census
Frederick John Allen, then 17, is registered on the 1911 census as the only surviving child of 43-year-old schoolmaster Frederick Herbert Allen, an assistant elementary schoolmaster for London County Council born in Newington, and his wife Alice Minta Varney Allen, also 43 and born in Norwood. Frederick was working as a bank clerk for London County and Westminster Bank. They lived in 6 rooms at 47 Mayflower Road, SW9.
The family is also on the 1901 living at the same address.