Thomas Alfred Allan

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher.

Thomas Alfred Allan was born in 1919 and baptised in St Mary's Church, Princes Road, Lambeth. He was the youngest son of Arthur & Eleanor Elizabeth Allan (née Willmott). Eleanor, in her young life, had seen a lot of grief as 9 of her siblings had died, out of a family of 13 children, as shown on the 1911 census. She had also lost her father, who had been killed when working as a stone sawyer at Littlehampton Railway Station. He was in the act of crossing the line for a bucket of water and, in seeking to get out of the way of a passing train, he was knocked down by a shunting train.

Thomas Alfred Allan is seen for the first time on the 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921. The family were living at 12, Orsett Street, Kennington, Lambeth, London. Head of the family, Arthur Allan was now 34 years and 5 months old, and was a Moulding Machine Operator in the Iron Foundry of L.L.C. Tramways (Central Repair Depot) Woolwich Road, Charlton, Kent. Eleanor Elizabeth Allan was 32 years and 6 months old and was doing ‘Home Duties.’ She also filled in the census form on behalf of her husband, Arthur. Their children were William Allan, 10 years and 11 months old, Sarah Allan, 8 years old, Arthur Allan, 4 years and 3 months old and Thomas Allan, 1 year and 7 months old. They were in school, ‘Whole Time.’ All had been born in London.

The 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 29th of September 1939, gives us another look at the family, this time with their dates of birth. They were then living at 21, Shaw Road, Lewisham, with Arthur Allan, once again, head of the household, his date of birth was the 14th of January 1886 and was a Moulding M.C. Operator at LPTB Iron Foundry. Eleanor Allan had been born on the 8th of December 1888 and was doing ‘Unpaid Domestic Duties.’ William A. Allan had been born on the 19th of July 1910 and was a Porter (Heavy Drugs), Arthur Allan had been born on the 18th of March 1917 and was a Builder’s Labourer. Alfred G. Allan had been born on the 15th of June 1923and was a Lift Porter, all boys were single.

There was no sign of Thomas Alfred Allan, so I wondered if he was already in the Services. I asked the members of WW2Talk for help with his Regimental Number, and it seems that the number gave a clue to when he may have enlisted, as other men with similar numbers close to Thomas’s meant that he entered the Royal Engineers in 1937.  But by 1944 he was serving A Sqn., 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps.

His unit landed on Gold Beach on D-Day and the British Army Casualty List states that he was killed in action on the 6th of June 1944. It seems that he was buried, probably in the area he died and on the same day, at Coulombs as recorded in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Concentration Report Form. He was then reburied on 24th August 1945 in the Bayeux British Cemetery where he now rests.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of Thomas Allan. If you are aware of one or you are related to Thomas we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.