In St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France is the Commonwealth War Grave of 2nd Lieutenant Frank Cecil Allan, serving with the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry who died 29/09/1916.

The son of Thomas Peter and Agnes Allan, of Cramlington Vicarage, Northumberland.

He was born on the 27th August 1896 at Newcastle upon Tyne, and he was the third son of the Reverend Thomas Peter Allan and his wife Agnes, who was the daughter of the Reverend Charles Willis, Vicar of Cramlington.

Frank was educated at the St John’s School in Leatherhead from 1906, joining the North House. He had a very successful career both in his studies and in athletics. In his last year 1915 at school he was made captain and carried off the “Victor Ludorum Cup”

When leaving school he gained a leaving scholarship of £40 from his school, and a further £30 from the county.

He also received a 10 classical scholarship from Jesus College, Oxford when he would have graduated but for the outbreak of the war.

He left school in July 1915 and joined the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and was gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant on the 25th September in the 13th Durham Light Infantry.

He was sent to France in September 1916, and was wounded in the hand and thigh by a shell on the 25th September. He died on the 29th September of gas gangrene in the thigh at the 2nd Red Cross Hospital at Rouen.

His two elder brothers were serving at the front at the time of his death.

Source: De Ruvignys Roll of Honour

Frank Cecil Allan is remembered in Cramlington on C60.01 and C60.03 and in the  D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page  267.