Arthur Allen

Arthur Allen was born in 1896 at Hucknall and was the son of William a locomotive engine cleaner and Elizabeth Allen née Taylor of 3 Station Road Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire. His father William was born in 1862 at Swanwick, Derbyshire and his mother Elizabeth Taylor was born in 1864 in Hucknall, they were married in 1884 their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration district, they went on to have the following children all born in Hucknall, Mary b1887, , William Henry b1888, Arthur b1896 Hannah b1897, Annie b1899 and Mabel Allen b1901 In the 1911 census the family were living at 3 Station Road, Duke Street, Hucknall and were shown as William 49 yrs a locomotive engine cleaner he is living with his wife Elizabeth 47 yrs and their children, Mary 24 yrs a home helper, William Henry 23 yrs a frame work knitter, Arthur 15 yrs a tailors trouser hand, Hannah 14 yrs an apprentice tailoress, Annie 12 yrs a scholar and Mabel 10 yrs a scholar, . They lived at

In 1911 he was a tailors trouser hand.

Rifleman Arthur Allen enlisted at Hucknall on 29th February 1916 and served with the 9th battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps. Landing in France on 22nd July 1916 he was killed in action on 15th September 1916 and having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

Article published 30th November 1916 in the Hucknall Dispatch :- “Rifleman Arthur Allen was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Allen, of Station road, Hucknall, and a grandson of the late Mr. Benjamin Taylor. He enlisted on February 29th, 1916, in the King's Royal Rifles, and was stationed at Skipton for a short time. After only three weeks' training he was taken to Morton Banks Hospital, Keighley, to be treated for fever, and remained there about six weeks. He was next sent to Cambois, and to Whitley Bay in order to complete his training. “He was drafted to France on July 22nd, and for month was stationed at the infantry base at Havre. His next move was up to the lines, where he only remained one month, for on September 15th he was reported “missing.” Nothing further was heard of hint front that time until official news came to hand that he had been killed in action on September 15th. “Allen, who was a bright and fair lad of only twenty summers, worked for Mr. J. Christian, tailor, High street, Hucknall, for six years, He was a member of the Parish Church choir, and was very well-known locally, being a splendid cricketer. He was formerly a member of the Boys' Brigade, and on all sides was spoken of with admiration.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918