Life story: William Barnsley Allen | Lives of the First World War

Timeline

1891

sibling Edith Dorothy Allen Source:7652475 1891

1892

birth 14 Botanical Road, Sheffield, Yorkshire United Kingdom Source:8739079 Source:8743942 8th June 1892

1892

location 14 Botanical Road, Sheffield United Kingdom parents address Source:8739079 10th June 1892

1897

sibling Barbara Allen Source:7652475 1897

1901

dates Age 8 Source:8739124 31st March 1901

1901

location 23 Blyth Road, Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom parents address Source:8739124 31st March 1901

1902

education St Cuthbert's College Worksop United Kingdom Source:8743908 1902 - 1908

1908

education Studied Medicine/ Awarded the John Hall Gold Medal in Pathology in 1913, the Kaye Scholarship for highest marks in anatomy, and 3 bronze medals. Graduated with a MB ChB honours degree in June 1914. University of Sheffield Sheffield United Kingdom Source:8743908 1908 - June 1914

1911

dates Age 18 Source:7652475 2nd April 1911

1911

location 91 Endcliffe Vale Road, Sheffield United Kingdom parents address Source:7652475 2nd April 1911

1914

service British Army Lieutenant Royal Army Medical Corps 3rd West Riding Field Ambulance Source:8739228 8th August 1914

1916

marriage Mary Young Mercer Source:8743908 16th May 1916 - 19th October 1925

1916

awards Victoria Cross (VC) British Award/Decoration Source:8743920 3rd September 1916

1916

awards Military Cross (MC) British Award/Decoration Source:8739251 26th September 1916

1916

service British Army Captain Royal Army Medical Corps Source:8739251 26th October 1916

1917

awards Military Cross (MC) British Award/Decoration Source:8739398 26th September 1917

1918

awards Distinguished Service Order (DSO) British Award/Decoration Source:8739417 11th October 1918

1918

service British Army Acting Major Royal Army Medical Corps Source:8739409 4th November 1918

1919

awards Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) British Award/Decoration Source:8739420 16th March 1919

1923

service British Army Major Royal Army Medical Corps Reserve of Officers Source:8744104 27th September 1923 - 11th January 1933

1925

marriage Gertrude Isabel Craggs Source:8743908 28th October 1925

1927

location 1 Pownall Gardens, Hounslow, Middlesex United Kingdom their own address Source:8743933 1927

1928

location 1 Pownall Gardens, Hounslow, Middlesex United Kingdom their own address Source:8743935 1928

1932

location Wittering, Sussex United Kingdom Source:8743882 July 1932

service British Army Major Royal Army Medical Corps Source:30408

service British Army Captain Royal Army Medical Corps Source:8739409

service British Army Captain Royal Army Medical Corps Source:8744097

location Perleys Marsh, Stocks Lane, Bracklesham, Sussex United Kingdom their own address Source:8743939

1933

death Finding of the Inquest was that "death was due to an overdose of opium taken by misadventure". Perleys Marsh, Stocks Lane, Bracklesham, Sussex United Kingdom Source:6194200 Source:8743904 27th August 1933

Details

Names

Type	Name
First Names	William Barnsley
Initials	WB
Last Name	Allen,
Source	8739417

Gender

Gender	Source
Male

Locations

Address	Country	Type	Date
1 Pownall Gardens, Hounslow, Middlesex	United Kingdom	their own address	known 1927
1 Pownall Gardens, Hounslow, Middlesex	United Kingdom	their own address	known 1928
14 Botanical Road, Sheffield	United Kingdom	parents address	known 10th June 1892
23 Blyth Road, Worksop, Nottinghamshire	United Kingdom	parents address	known 31st March 1901
91 Endcliffe Vale Road, Sheffield	United Kingdom	parents address	known 2nd April 1911
Perleys Marsh, Stocks Lane, Bracklesham, Sussex	United Kingdom	their own address
Wittering, Sussex	United Kingdom		known July 1932

Contribution

Military Service

Service	Unit	Section	Rank
British Army	Royal Army Medical Corps	3rd West Riding Field Ambulance	Lieutenant
British Army	Royal Army Medical Corps		Major
British Army	Royal Army Medical Corps		Captain
British Army	Royal Army Medical Corps		Acting Major
British Army	Royal Army Medical Corps		Captain
British Army	Royal Army Medical Corps		Captain
British Army	Royal Army Medical Corps	Reserve of Officers	Major

Awards

Award	Type	Source
1914/15 Star	First World War Campaign/Service Medal
British War Medal	First World War Campaign/Service Medal
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)	British Award/Decoration
Mentioned in Despatches (MiD)	British Award/Decoration
Military Cross (MC)	British Award/Decoration
Military Cross (MC)	British Award/Decoration
VC, DSO, MC and Bar	British Award/Decoration
Victoria Cross (VC)	British Award/Decoration
Victory Medal	First World War Campaign/Service Medal

Family

Parents

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Edith Barnsley	mother
Percy Edwin Allen	father

Siblings

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Edith Dorothy Allen	sister	1891
Barbara Allen	sister	1897

Spouse

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Gertrude Isabel Craggs	wife	28th October 1925
Mary Young Mercer	wife	16th May 1916

Media

William Allen

Contributed by:
Myko59
Grave

William's grave in the churchyard at Earnley Parish Church. (Photograph copyright Yvonne Fenter, July 2014. May be used in published documents and on the internet, but please attribute the photographer and give a mention to https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/community/748 (the Men of the Manhood community page). Thank you.)

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
Grave - detail view

Headstone of William's grave in the churchyard at Earnley Parish Church. (Photograph copyright Yvonne Fenter, July 2014. May be used in published documents and on the internet, but please attribute the photographer and give a mention to https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/community/748 (the Men of the Manhood community page). Thank you.)

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
East Wittering War Memorial

The war memorial at East Wittering, near Chichester in West Sussex. William is commemorated on the panel on the right-hand side of the memorial.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
East Wittering War Memorial - W B Allen panel

Detail view of the panel commemorating William on the war memorial at East Wittering, near Chichester in West Sussex.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
Portrait photograph of William Barnsley Allen 1929

Photo published in newspaper article in November 1929.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
Commemorative Victoria Cross paving stone

Photograph from special ceremony held at Sheffield War Memorial on 3rd September 2016 to unveil a paving stone to commemorate the Victoria Cross won by William Barnsley Allen, VC, DSO, MC and Bar.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
Image from commemorative VC paving stone ceremony

Photograph from special ceremony held at Sheffield War Memorial on 3rd September 2016 to unveil a paving stone to commemorate the Victoria Cross won by William Barnsley Allen, VC, DSO, MC and Bar.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
Image from commemorative VC paving stone ceremony

Photograph from special ceremony held at Sheffield War Memorial on 3rd September 2016 to unveil a paving stone to commemorate the Victoria Cross won by William Barnsley Allen, VC, DSO, MC and Bar.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
Image from commemorative VC paving stone ceremony

Photograph from special ceremony held at Sheffield War Memorial on 3rd September 2016 to unveil a paving stone to commemorate the Victoria Cross won by William Barnsley Allen, VC, DSO, MC and Bar.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
Unveiling of commemorative VC paving stone

Image from commemorative VC paving stone ceremony Photograph from special ceremony held at Sheffield War Memorial on 3rd September 2016 to unveil a paving stone to commemorate the Victoria Cross won by William Barnsley Allen, VC, DSO, MC and Bar.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
Image from commemorative VC paving stone ceremony

Photograph from special ceremony held at Sheffield War Memorial on 3rd September 2016 to unveil a paving stone to commemorate the Victoria Cross won by William Barnsley Allen, VC, DSO, MC and Bar.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542
William's grave - Remembrance Day 2018

William's grave in the churchyard at Earnley Parish Church, on Remembrance Day 2018.

Contributed by:
Yvonne27542

Communities

Victoria Cross Recipients

Victoria Cross Recipients

More about Victoria Cross Recipients
Men of the Manhood

Men of the Manhood

More about Men of the Manhood
Men of the Manhood - Earnley

Men of the Manhood - Earnley

More about Men of the Manhood - Earnley
Men of the Manhood - East Wittering

Men of the Manhood - East Wittering

More about Men of the Manhood - East Wittering
Recipients of the Military Cross

Recipients of the Military Cross

More about Recipients of the Military Cross
628 VCs

628 VCs

More about 628 VCs
My Favourite Life Stories

My Favourite Life Stories

More about My Favourite Life Stories

Evidence

IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Official Records

Title	Connected by	More information
Medal Index Card
1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription	Sue54478
England & Wales births 1837-2006 Transcription	Yvonne27542
1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription	Yvonne27542
England & Wales marriages 1837-2008 Transcription	Yvonne27542
England & Wales marriages 1837-2008 Transcription	Yvonne27542

External Evidence

Reference	Connected by	More information
The London Gazette - Victoria Cross	Trevor321
IWM - Victoria Cross Winners	Kristen1288
Sheffield Baptisms Transcription	Yvonne27542
Sheffield Marriages Transcription - William's parents	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 22nd September 1914	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 26th September 1916	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 26th October 1916	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 26th September 1917	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 9th January 1918	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 20th April 1918	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 2nd April 1919	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 10th December 1919	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 10th July 1919	Yvonne27542
Portsmouth Evening News - 23rd July 1932	Yvonne27542
Portsmouth Evening News - 28th August 1933	Yvonne27542
The Chris Hobbs Site - Captain William Barnsley Allen	Yvonne27542
Divorce Court File	Yvonne27542
Memorial at National Memorial Arboretum	Yvonne27542
Electoral Registers - 1927	Yvonne27542
Electoral Registers - 1928	Yvonne27542
National Probate Calendars	Yvonne27542
The University of Sheffield - Our Distinguished Alumni	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 14th April 1931	Yvonne27542
The Comprehensive Guide to the Victoria and George Cross	Yvonne27542
R.A.M.C. Profile	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 25th September 1923	Yvonne27542
The London Gazette - 10th January 1933	Yvonne27542
The Star - 3rd September 2016 - Unveiling of Memorial Paving Stone	Yvonne27542
Sheffield City Council News Room	Yvonne27542
The Cuthbertian - December 1916	Yvonne27542
The Sheffield Independent - 2nd August 1917	Yvonne27542
Wellcome Library - R.A.M.C. Muniments Collection - Captain William B Allen	Yvonne27542

Multimedia

Title	Connected by	More information
William Allen	Myko59
Grave	Yvonne27542
Grave - detail view	Yvonne27542
East Wittering War Memorial	Yvonne27542
East Wittering War Memorial - W B Allen panel	Yvonne27542
Portrait photograph of William Barnsley Allen 1929	Yvonne27542
Commemorative Victoria Cross paving stone	Yvonne27542
Image from commemorative VC paving stone ceremony	Yvonne27542
Image from commemorative VC paving stone ceremony	Yvonne27542
Image from commemorative VC paving stone ceremony	Yvonne27542
Unveiling of commemorative VC paving stone	Yvonne27542
Image from commemorative VC paving stone ceremony	Yvonne27542
William's grave - Remembrance Day 2018	Yvonne27542

Stories

No related stories were found.

{{story._source.summary_title}}

{{story._source.description[0].value | trim:50}}

{{story._source.date.from.iso | displayDate}} - {{story._source.date.to.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.date.from.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.date.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.certainty.date.from.iso | displayDate}} - {{story._source.certainty.date.to.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.certainty.date.from.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.certainty.date.iso | displayDate}}

More about {{story._source.summary_title}}

We remember William Barnsley Allen

Also remembered by 10 people

Event Type	Event Icon
appointments
awards
birth
burial
children
commission
dates
death
discharge
education
employment
enlistment
events
hospitalisation
internment
location
marriage
missing
service
sibling
theatres