Pte 33195 George Allen

• Age: 30
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Tuesday 1st May 1917
• Commemorated at: St Sever Cem Ext Rouen
  Panel Ref: P.I.E.7A

George was born on the 16th July 1886 at 10 Back Peach Street, off Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, the son of widowed mother Charlotte Frances Levy (née Hughes) and her lodger Frederick Allen, from London, who was a local butcher and slaughterman. His birth was registered as George LEVI but he was baptised a week later at St. Peter's Church, Liverpool as George LEVY. 

Charlotte had two children by her late husband William Levy who died aged 34 in 1885, also a local butcher, who died aged 34 in 1885. They had a daughter Mary Jane(Hughes) born 1876, married on the 06th February 1877 at St Silas' Church, Pembroke Place, and a son John (Jack) born 1979.  
 
After George was born in 1886 to Charlotte and Frederick they had a daughter Elizabeth Ann born in 1888. Both registered and baptised as Levy. When Charlotte passed away, aged 40, in 1897 and was buried on the 11th April at Walton Park Cemetery, her address 1h 8ct Pembroke St, Mount Pleasant. Both George and Elizabeth adopted their father's surname of Allen.

In 1901 they appear on the Census living in the Court Houses (6h 1ct) of Pembroke Place, Liverpool with the family of Joseph Rowe, he also was a butcher and had married Frederick's sister Clara Allen. George, aged 14, is living here with his father Frederick aged 48, his sister Elizabeth Ann aged 12, and grandmother Ann Allen, aged 72. 

In 1910 George was a witness at his sister Elizabeth Ann's wedding to Owen Hugh Thomas at St. Silas's Church, Liverpool.

In 1911 George, aged 24, has moved to 20 Bunyan Street with his dad's sister Clara Rowe and her family. He is shown as a carter at the butcher company. His father, Frederick, is living with married daughter Elizabeth Ann Thomas and her husband Owen Hugh and 3 month old daughter Charlotte at 36 Baker Street, Liverpool. 

Prior to the war George worked at Messrs Simpson's abattoir.

He enlisted in Liverpool as Private 33195 joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment.

He was wounded on 09th April 1917, and subsequently he died of his wounds on 01st May 1917, aged 30.

He now rests at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen: P.I.E.7A

During the First World War, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city.

Almost all of the hospitals at Rouen remained there for practically the whole of the war. They included eight general, five stationary, one British Red Cross and one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot. A number of the dead from these hospitals were buried in other cemeteries, but the great majority were taken to the city cemetery of St. Sever. In September 1916, it was found necessary to begin an extension, where the last burial took place in April 1920.

The Cemetery and the Extension adjoin each other but have separate Registers.

During the Second World War, Rouen was again a hospital centre and the extension was used once more for the burial of Commonwealth servicemen, many of whom died as prisoners of war during the German occupation.

The cemetery extension contains 8,348 Commonwealth burials of the First World War (ten of them unidentified) and in Block "S" there are 328 from the Second World War (18 of them unidentified). There are also 8 Foreign National burials here. The adjoining St. Sever Cemetery contains 3,082 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There is also 1 French burial and 1 non war service burial here.

The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

The Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 19 May 1917 reported George's death;

Pte. George Allen, K.L.R. died on May 1st from wounds received in action on April 9th. Prior to the war he was employed at Messr's Simpson's abattoir, Liverpool. 

On 16 July 1917 on what would have been his 31st Birthday two notices appeared in the Liverpool Echo :

"Allen - In loving Birthday memory of my dear brother Private G. Allen K. L. R. died of his wounds in France May 1 1917 Sadly missed by his Sister and Brother in Law Owen (In France )"

"Allen - In loving  Birthday  remembrance of Private George Allen ( Liverpool Pals) who died  of his wounds received in action May 1 1917. Never Forgotten by his Brother Jack and Cis and the Children - 43 Phythian Street"

On 01 September 1917 his father Frederick received George's Effects and Pay of £8 :3s :9d and in August 1919 he received a War Gratuity of £6 at his home of 21 Ellesmere Street, Liverpool. His father also claimed the Army Pension while living with daughter and grandchildren at 90 Gaerwen Street, Liverpool.

An In Memorium notice was placed for him in Liverpool Echo on 01 May 1918 entry :-

"ALLEN- In loving memory of Private G. Allen KLR who died of wounds May 1 1917
Never forgotten by his Uncle Joe and Cousin Harry and Mr & Mrs Howard.
If we could have raised his head
Or heard his last farewell
The grief would not have been so hard
To those who loved him well."

On the 1939 Register at 90 Gaerwen Street, his father Frederick, date of birth 01st January 1856, is living with daughter Elizabeth Ann Thomas and family. He died aged 87 in 1943 and was buried on the 22nd April at Anfield Cemetery, his address 95 Needham Road, the address of his grand-daughter Lilian Thomas. 

We currently have no further information on George Allen, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.