ALLEN, Thomas Meredith
| Service Number: | 1313 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 November 1914, Territorials, 5 year Auckland NZ. |
| Last Rank: | Cadet |
| Last Unit: | Australian Flying Corps (AFC) |
| Born: | Lalomalava, Savaii, Samoa , 11 October 1893 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Unknown |
| Occupation: | Seaman |
| Died: | Accidental (aircraft), Norwich Aerodrome, Norwich, England, United Kingdom, 27 April 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ashtead (St. Giles) Churchyard Grave 165 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Nov 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1313, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Territorials, 5 year Auckland NZ. | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 1915: | Involvement Private, 1313, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Bee embarkation_ship_number: A48 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Feb 1915: | Embarked Private, 1313, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Bee, Sydney | |
| 27 Apr 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1313, 2nd Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, GSW to left thigh | |
| 21 Dec 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Temp Cpl 4/2/1916 | |
| 8 May 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1313, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Dec 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Cadet, Australian Flying Corps (AFC) | |
| 27 Apr 1917: | Involvement 1313, Australian Flying Corps (AFC), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1313 awm_unit: Australian Flying Corps awm_rank: Cadet awm_died_date: 1917-04-27 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 22 and the third son of Ernest and Maria Allen of Wellington, New Zealand. He had served at Gallipoli and in France. He was killed in a flying accident at Norwich, England.
He claimed to be 21 when he attested in November 1914.
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 27th April…… Thomas Meredith Allen was born at Lalomalava, Savaii, Samoa on 11th October, 1893.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 28th November, 1914 as a 21 year old, single, Seaman from Care of Sauwa Shipping Co., Sydney, NSW.
Private Thomas Meredith Allen, Service number 1313, embarked from Sydney on HMAT Seang Bee (A48) on 11th February, 1915 with the 2nd Infantry Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements.
He was wounded in action at the Dardanelles (date recorded as 25 – 30th April) with a bullet wound to left thigh. He was attached to 2nd Battalion, A.I.F. – Beach Party.
On 28th April, 1915 Private Allen was admitted to Military Hospital at Ras-el-Tin, Alexandria with a gunshot wound to scrotum. He was transferred on Hospital Ship Goorkha on 3rd May, 1915 & was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham, Dudley Road Section on 12th May, 1915. Private Allen was transferred & admitted to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital Harefield, Middlesex on 8th June, 1915 with a gunshot wound (left testicle) & discharged to duty on 8th July, 1915.
Private Allen was admitted to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital Harefield, Middlesex on 22nd July, 1915 & transferred on 25th July, 1915. He was admitted to Military Convalescent Hospital, Epsom on 26th July, 1915 & discharged on 17th September, 1915.
He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 21st December, 1915 then on 4th February, 1916 he was promoted to Temporary Corporal. His rank reverted to Private on 8th May, 1916.
On 28th June, 1916 Private Allen was transferred from Monte Video, Weymouth & taken on strength at 1st Training Battalion, Perham Downs, Wiltshire. He was Absent without Leave from early morning Parade on 18th July, 1916 & forfeited 1 days’ pay.
Private Allen proceeded Overseas on 25th July, 1916 from Perham Downs & rejoined his Unit in France on 10th August, 1916.
Thomas Meredith Allen joined the Royal Flying School of Military Aeronautics as a Cadet Trainee on 5th December, 1916. He was attached to No 9 Reserve Squadron.
On returning to England he became engaged to Violet Mellish, whom he had met while convalescing at Ashtead.
Cadet Thomas Meredith Allen was piloting a Henry Farman F-20 Serial no. A1214 on 24th April, 1917 when it crashed on landing at Norwich Aerodrome. He was admitted to Norfolk War Hospital.
He died in the early hours of 27th April, 1917 at Norfolk War Hospital, Norwich as a result of an aeroplane accident.
A Court of Enquiry was held at Norwich Aerodrome on 27th April, 1917. The court was of the opinion that the accident which resulted in the death of Cadet Allen was entirely due to his error in not flattening out soon enough. The Court was satisfied that the machine and engine were in perfect order.
Lieutenant (Cadet) Thomas Meredith Allen was buried at 3 pm. on 30th April, 1917 in St. Giles Churchyard, Ashtead, Surrey – Plot number 165. It had been Violet Mellish’s wish that her fiancée – Cadet Thomas Meredith Allen be buried in St. Giles’ Churchyard. He has a private headstone but his death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/ashtead.html
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