Lives of the First World War

From the above website:- William Allan from Carnoch, 38925 Private, 22nd Canterbury Battalion. William was born at Tillieglens on 22nd February 1884, the third of six children born to William and Jane Paxton Allan. In the 1901 census he was 17 years old and was living at Torchroisk with his parents where he was an auxiliary post runner. His father was also born at Tillieglens in about 1850 and was listed in the 1891 census as Farm Grieve. By 1911 Jane had died and William had left home. William emigrated to New Zealand where he became a teamster and enlisted in the Canterbury Battalion there in November 1916. He joined the 22nd (Reinforcement) Battalion of the Canterbury Regiment. He was killed on 12th October 1917, the same day as Donald Calder in the first Battle of Passchendaele, a phase of Third Ypres. He was 33 years old. The New Zealanders were attacking on the right of the 9th Division in terrible weather and ground conditions. Zero hour was at 5.35am and the attack was supported by a thin and ragged barrage, because the guns could not be moved quickly enough through the mud and the rain. The infantry did make some progress in the dreadful conditions, but were eventually stopped by determined enemy resistance. The 12th October at Passchendaele was the bloodiest day in New Zealand history. They suffered 2,735 casualties on this day, including William. William has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial at Ypres on the New Zealand Apse, Panel 2. He is also remembered on the Auckland Cenotaph. William’s younger brother Robert also served during the War. He enlisted at Hopeman in the 9th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, a unit of the New Army. He was severely wounded and discharged from the Army in 1916. He was a blacksmith.

Created by: , Vincent96527