Willington Cemetery

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

John Allan was born at Willington, County Durham in 1895, one of 10 children all of whom survived, he was the 2nd born son of 5 and had 2 elder and 3 younger sisters. His father Charles Robert Allan and mother Annie Mary Slack who were both natives of Willington born 1861 and 1868 respectively, married in the district of Durham in 1886. In 1891 they were living at 9, Low Willington next door to his parents and he was employed as a coke drawer, they later moved to 48, Commercial Street and by 1911 they were back at 18, Low Willington. John (16) and his elder brother George (19) were both employed as general labourers at the colliery, their father still worked at the coke ovens.

On the outbreak of war John was 19 years of age and enlisted at Willington assigned as Private TR/5/41913 Northumberland Fusiliers to the newly formed 32nd Battalion created in November 1915. In December 1915 the battalion moved to Harrogate and in June 1916 to Usworth, near Washington. September 1st 1916 it became the 80th Training Reserve Battalion, 19th Reserve Brigade at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.

Unfortunately, his service record no longer exists and in the absence also of a medal card it is impossible to know where he served.

Private TR/5/41913 John Allan died, “at home” in England, March 2nd 1917, cause unknown and interred at the cemetery near St. Stephen’s Churchyard, Willington.

His younger brother Charles served as Private Allan Royal Regiment of Norfolk. He survived the conflict and died at Sussex in 1986.

In God’s safe keeping.

Rest In Peace.

John Allan is remembered at Willington on W120.02

The CWGC entry for Private Allan