Lawrence Allen
Medal Index Card
Coldstreams at Transvaal
Newcastle Daily Chronicle 12/09/1917
HMHS Asturias
Lawrence Allen was born at Spennymoor on the 26th September 1877 to Lawrence Allen, born 1835, and his wife Elizabeth, born 1853, the youngest of three children. They were married in 1873. The other childen were Patrick Allen born 1868 and Mary born 1st December 1900. In 1881 the family were residing all at 16 Clarendon Street, Normanby, Middlesbrough.
Lawrence's parents died when he was young, his mother died in 1883 and his father died in 1892.
In 1891, Lawrence was staying with other inmates at the Boys Brigade Centre located next to the Borough Arms on Bensham Road in Gateshead.
By 1911, Lawrence had got married on the 14th August 1900 at Gateshead Register Office, to an Ellen [nee Crawley], born 5th October 1878, daughter of William Crawley, and was residing at 24 Coatsworth Road, where his father in law, who was widowed by this time was residing along with his children, Peter Crawley born 1892, Joseph Crawley born 1894, Robert Crawley born 1896 and a James Crawley with his newly married wife Hannah Crawley of 6 months. Lawrence and his wife with the three children were also residing at this same address in 1911.
Lawrence and Ellen nee Crawley had three children, Elizabeth 'Betty' Allen, born 1st October 1900, baptised on the 17th October 1900, [she was married to a Robert Little on the 1st July 1922], Rose Allen born 26th August 1903, died 1984 and Lawrence 'Lol' Allen born 14th December 1905 died 1978.
Lawrence enlisted on the 20th August 1897 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was 19 years and 11 months old. 5 feet seven and five eighths inches tall, 131 lbs with a sallow complexion, Grey Eyes and Dark Brown hair with an indistinct tattoos letters on his left foreman. He was a member of the Roman Catholic faith. Lawrence was allocated the service number 1036, rank of private. He signed up for 13 years 4 with the colours and 9 years in the reserve.
His trade was as a tinsmith.
Lawrence was temporarily placed into the 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry before being sent to the Guards Depot on the 27th August 1897 which was based in London. Posted to the 2nd Battalion on the 18th March 1889.
The 1st and 2nd battalions of the Coldstream Guards both served in South Africa during the Boer War (1899-1902). The 2nd Battalion embarked at Southampton on the Gascon, on the 20th October 1899 and the 1st Battalion followed them to South Africa a week later. After moving up country from Cape Town in November they joined Lord Methuen's 1st Division. Both battalions paraded in khaki, with a white helmet and puggaree in place of their bearskins.
At Belmont, 23rd November 1899, the battalion was not very heavily engaged. Lord Methuen in his despatch of 26th November said, "They were well handled, Major the Honourable A Henniker's services proving of great value". Two other officers were mentioned. The battalion's losses were light.
At Modder River the battalion was on the left of the Guards Brigade — that is, opposite the enemy's centre—and was all day under an extremely heavy fire. Many non-commissioned officers and men of the Coldstreams exhibited unsurpassable gallantry, and several were mentioned in Lord Methuen's despatch of 1st December, but the number of the battalion was not given. One officer of the 2nd Coldstreams was mentioned. The battalion's losses were 2 officers, including Colonel Stopford, and 10 men killed, and 1 officer and 56 men wounded.
At Magersfontein the battalion was in the firing line most of the day, and lost 1 officer and 2 men killed and 22 men wounded. "Major the Marquis of Winchester was killed whilst displaying almost reckless courage". Three non-commissioned officers were also mentioned in Lord Methuen's despatch of 15th February 1900 for great courage.
With the remainder of the brigade the battalion took part in the advances to Bloemfontein, Pretoria, and Koomati Poort. At Pan, in the Eastern Transvaal, they had the misfortune to have 5 men killed and 1 officer and 13 men injured in a railway accident on the 1st October 1900.
After the Guards Brigade returned from Koomati Poort the 2nd Coldstreams were ordered to Potchefstroom. In the beginning of 1901 they were sent to Cape Colony. The headquarters were generally about Graaf Reinet down to the close of the campaign, but the battalion was much scattered; for example, two companies occupied Richmond and another was at Britstown. About 70 men of the 2nd Coldstreams along with some local troops formed the garrison of Aberdeen when it was attacked on the night of 18th May 1902, shortly before peace was declared. The attack was driven off, the enemy losing several killed.
Lawrence fought in the South Africa War (2nd Boer War) and distinguished himself gaining the Queens South Africa Medal with 5 Clasps. Cape Colony, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill and Belfast. Also the Kings South Africa Medal. He remained in South Africa until the 6th October 1902. Lawrence had spent 2 years and 7 months in South Africa.
On the 6th November 1902 Lawrence is transferred to the 3rd Battalion and is awarded Good Conduct Pay. He is time expired on the 19th August 1913.
Lawrence returned to Gateshead to Ellen, and the family now resided at 35 Ellison Street, Gateshead.
On the outbreak of WW1, Lawrence Allen re-enlisted into the Coldstream Guards on the 22nd August 1914. Now 5 feet 8 inches tall, weight 135lb at Gateshead.
On the 8th December 1914, Lawrence arrived in France.
On the 20th December the Germans launched an attack against the Indian troops which drove them out of the village of Givenchy. The Guards were ordered up to the ground near the La Bassee canal which the Indians had held for the previous 2 months.
On the 20th December [22nd December was the correct day], Lawrence was shot and wounded in the head and left forearm. He is treated at the 2 General Hospital from the 26th December 1914, and is returned home from the 28th December onboard the Hospital Ship HMHS Asturias. HMHS Asturias was a Royal Mail Steam Packet Company ocean liner that was built in Belfast in 1908 and scrapped in Japan in 1933. She was a Royal Mail Ship until 1914, when on the eve of the First World War the Admiralty requisitioned her as a hospital ship.
In 1917 a German U-boat torpedoed Asturias but her crew managed to beach her. She was raised and towed into port and spent the next two years as an ammunition hulk. In 1922–23 RMSP had her repaired and re-fitted as the cruise ship Arcadian. She was laid up in 1930 and sold for scrap in 1933.
Despite treatment his hand was cold, swollen and powerless with poor sensation. An operation was performed with limited success. He was on the War Office list of wounded dated 9th January 1915 so was entitled to wear a wound stripe on his right sleeve.
On the 9th August 1915 Lawrence was considered no longer physically fit for war service and was discharged under Kings Regulations Paragraph 392 (xvi). No longer physically fit for war service.
He was issued with a Silver War badge no. 83059 on the 22nd November 1916. The Silver War Badge was issued to United Kingdom and British Empire service personnel who had been honourably discharged due to wounds or sickness from military service in World War 1.
Lawrence was now an 'out' pensioner with the Chelsea Pension hospital number 39075D and was granted an army pension of 18 shillings and 9 pence per week and 6s extra for the three children. He recovered sufficiently to get a job doing light work as a munitions worker.
In June 1917 he had a paralytic seizure but recovered, however he had another seizure resulting in his death on the 10th September 1917. Sometime around the 1st October he had been for a medical examination for a reassessment for his pension, now being administered by the Ministry of Pensions.
The Coroner held an inquest at Gateshead Town Hall and Coroner Graham concluded the verdict supported by the medical evidence that the shotgun wound in the head was the cause of his death.
Lawrence's wife Ellen now received 22s 11d a week from the 1st October 1917. She later married a Thomas Oliver Golphin born 1876 died in 1922, still residing at 35 Ellison Street, and in 1939 she now a widow, was residing at 31 Eighth Avenue, Newcastle-upon-Tyne but now was incapacitated. She was residing with her daughter Elizabeth Little and her son Donald Little born 9th December 1923.
Lawrence was interred with full military honours at Gateshead East Cemetery.
Research: Brenda McMahon/James Pasby
