Private Frederick Allen

Pte Frederick Allen, 20981, 10th Border Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 30th, 1916. He was aged 34 and he and some chums had been fighting with the 16th Battalion Manchester Regiment for just a few days before his death.

Born in Luton in 1882, he was the only son of Arthur and Julia Allen, of 47 Chase Street, Luton. He had originally joined the Bedfords at Ampthill and was a special reservist. But for the commencement of the war he would have completed his Army service.

He went to France with the Bedfords and was there until the taking of Hill 60 in April 1915, when he received terrible wounds in the back. He was in hospital in Aberdeen for five months, and then came back to Luton for seven days before rejoining his comrades.

In November 1915 he was transferred to the 10th Border Regiment and was again invalided home. He went into hospital at Chichester, where he remained until May 29th, 1916. On his return to France on July 9th he and some of his chums were attached to the 10th Manchesters. He was at the Front only three weeks before his death on July 30th.

Before the war Pte Allen, who was single, had worked as a labourer at Mr Stewart Hubbard's dye works in Luton.