Hadleigh War Memorial – Allen Family
Sidney Charles ALLEN and James Edward ALLEN
Sidney and James were two of seven sons born to journeyman bricklayer James Edward ALLEN Snr and his wife, Sarah GREEN.
James Snr was born in Gosfield, Essex, in 1859, and arrived as an infant in South Benfleet with his family in 1860. They later moved to Thundersley and Hadleigh by the late 1870s. His future wife, Sarah, was born into a local Hadleigh family and was one of thirteen children, nearly half of whom died young.
At the time of the 1881 census, James Snr., aged 21, was working as a brickmaker and living with his family on Chapel Road. Sarah, then 18, was living on Hadleigh High Street and listed as a “general servant out of employ.”
On 22nd December 1886, James Snr. and Sarah were married at St James the Less, and the first son was born almost exactly one year later. By 1891, the family was living on Hadleigh High Street, next door to Stibbard’s carpenter shop. By the 1901 census, they had relocated to Myrtle Villa on Lynton Road, where they remained for many years. At that time, the road was newly laid out and comprised only a handful of dwellings. The name “Myrtle” held some unknown significance for the Allen family, as they also named their youngest son Myrtle in October 1901.
- Ernest James Allen (1887-1953) – m.1909 to Emily Rose Hammerton; soldier & bricklayer
- Alfred John Allen (1889-1974) – unmarried; bricklayer
- Bertie William Allen (1892-1966) m.1919 to Matilda Louise Thorington, m.1946 to Amy Wallis Greenfield Worrell Taskere; bricklayer
- Sidney Charles Allen (1894-1918) – unmarried; carman & soldier
- James Edward Allen (1896-1919) – unmarried; farm labourer, bricklayer & soldier
- Percy Richard Allen (1899-1983) – m.1922 to Agnes Miriam Howard; bricklayer
- Myrtle Archibald Stanley Allen (1901-1966) – m.1923 to Annie Louise Evans, m.1931 to Beatrice Florence Byford; bricklayer
Ernest, the eldest and nearly 6ft tall, enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery on 21st August 1906 at the age of 18. When the 1911 census was taken, he was stationed at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, serving as a Bombardier in the 35th Heavy Battery. Back home in Hadleigh, his brother Alfred (21) was working as a farm labourer, as were Sidney (17) and James (14). Bertie (19) was working as a bricklayer with their father, while the youngest brothers, Percy (12) and Archibald (9), were still at school.
Just before the outbreak of war, Ernest was promoted to Corporal and landed in France with his battalion on 19th August 1914 (more details can be found below). James enlisted five days later.
James Edward Allen (1896-1919)
On 26th August, 17-year-old James, who was 5 ft 10 in tall and claimed to be 19, enlisted as a Private with the Essex Regiment 9th Battalion at Southend.
James spent the next nine months in training, moving early on from Warley Barracks in Brentwood to Shorncliffe in Kent. The Essex 9th moved again in March 1915 to Blenheim Barracks, Aldershot, for final preparations before heading to France in August. On 17th April, James was appointed an unpaid Lance Corporal. During his first four months of training, his brother Ernest was involved in an intense series of battles that transitioned from mobile combat to the static horror of trench warfare, returning to England injured on 22nd January.
On 30th May 1915, James and his battalion embarked from Folkestone and landed at Boulogne, a major port of entry for British troops heading into France. From there, they moved inland to join the British Expeditionary Force in the trenches on the Western Front. The 9th Essex was stationed near Loos, where it endured trench warfare and constant shellfire. In October, James sustained his first wound—a gunshot to the left buttock—while the battalion held positions near the Hulloch Quarries. He was evacuated to England via the hospital ship Guppe on 22nd October.
Meanwhile, as James recovered from his wounds, his older brother Sidney was already undertaking his own training for the front with the Royal Garrison Artillery (more information can be found in the following section).
During his recuperation, James was attached to the Essex Regiment 3rd Battalion based in Harwich. The 3rd Essex was a depot and training unit that supplied reinforcements to the regiment’s battalions serving overseas. It also received soldiers who had returned from the front to recover from injuries or illnesses, such as James. He was promoted to a paid Lance Corporal on 29th November during his time there, and then Acting Corporal on 26th February 1916.
On 18th March 1916, he returned to France, landing once again at Boulogne. By 28th April, he had rejoined the 9th Essex, which was stationed near Loos. The battalion soon moved south to prepare for the Battle of the Somme, one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the First World War.
By July, the 9th Essex was engaged in heavy fighting near Ovillers-la-Boisselle on the Somme battlefield in northern France. On 3rd July, James was shot in both thighs amid fierce fighting. He was soon taken to No.2 Convalescent Camp in Rouen, part of the British Army’s medical evacuation and recovery system, before returning home aboard the hospital ship Oxfordshire on 7th July.
James was admitted to the King George Hospital in London, where he spent 42 days recovering. X-rays showed no bone damage, and he was discharged to a 10-day furlough. On 7th August, he was posted back to the 3rd Essex, before being transferred to the Command Depot at Shoreham-by-Sea on 4th September, where he remained for 169 days, undergoing rehabilitation. His recovery included physical drills and light marching.
On 19th February 1917, James was reposted back to the 3rd Essex and embarked once again for France on 12th March, landing at Boulogne. He was sent to Calais and joined the 3rd Entrenching Battalion on 5th April. These units were responsible for constructing and maintaining trenches, roads, and defences in rear areas, often serving as reinforcement pools for frontline battalions.
On 5th May 1917, James joined the field with the Essex Regiment 1st Battalion, which was then engaged near Monchy-le-Preux following the Battle of Arras. He was appointed Acting Corporal on 10th August.
On 16th August, the 1st Essex was engaged in the Battle of Langemarck, part of the broader Third Battle of Ypres (also known as Passchendaele) in West Flanders, Belgium. During this chaotic and brutal engagement, James was hit by shrapnel above the right knee, severely wounding him. He was evacuated to England for the third time on 20th August, aboard the hospital ship St. David, and admitted to Gloucester Hospital, where he remained for nearly six months. He was then transferred to the Glen Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) in Southend for 10 weeks and Fort Pitt VAD in Chatham for a further 10 weeks. During his time at Chatham, the Allen family received the tragic news that his brother Sidney, age 24, had died of pneumonia at Parkhurst Military Hospital, Isle of Wight.
In June 1918, James was finally transferred to a Rest Hall VAD, where he remained for three months. Despite receiving care for several months, it became clear that he had sustained permanent damage to his peroneal nerve, resulting in a displaced foot with loss of sensation. The medical board assessed him as 50% disabled, and on 17th September 1918, James was officially discharged under King’s Regulation 392 (xvi), deemed “no longer physically fit for war service.” He was awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1915 Star, and Silver War Badge.
James returned to Myrtle Villa, the family home in Hadleigh. Although his body bore the scars of war, he was determined to contribute where he could, working alongside his father as a bricklayer. Whether he was able to carry bricks, mix mortar, or simply assist with lighter tasks is unclear. However, his health began to decline in the following months.
On 8th April 1919, 22-year-old James died of tuberculosis, likely exacerbated by his wartime injuries and a weakened immune system. He passed away at home with his father by his side. James was laid to rest in the churchyard of St James the Less with his brother, Sidney, and was the last soldier to die from the town.
Sidney Charles Allen (1894-1918)
Sidney was 21 years old when he enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery in October 1915, a time of growing urgency on the home front. His decision came shortly before the Allen family received news of his older brother James’s first injury in France.
Initial training took place at East Ham, followed by a posting to Charlton Park, Woolwich, in March 1916. There, Sidney trained with heavy guns—the massive artillery pieces that defined much of the war’s destructive power. On 19th April, his unit moved to Larkhill on Salisbury Plain for live firing exercises, a final preparation before deployment. Ten days later, they travelled via Amesbury to Southampton and embarked on the Western Front.
Sidney was promoted from Private to Gunner and later served as Bombardier in the 141 Heavy Battery. Throughout 1917, this unit operated under various Heavy Artillery Groups, providing long-range fire support for infantry operations. These batteries were often stationed miles behind the front lines, yet remained vulnerable to counter-battery fire and air raids. Life in the artillery was physically demanding and mentally exhausting—long hours, deafening noise, and the constant strain of coordinating fire missions under pressure.
Records of Sidney’s service are sparse, but two medical entries offer brief glimpses into his experiences. On 2nd September 1917, after seventeen months with the field force, he was evacuated from the sick convoy of the No. 7 Convalescent Camp in Boulogne to the 4th Stationary Hospital in Arques, suffering from diarrhoea —a common affliction in the unsanitary conditions at the front. He was discharged back to duty just two days later, likely rejoining the 141 Heavy Battery near Ypres, where the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) was still grinding on under appalling conditions.
Six weeks later, on October 18th, Sidney was admitted to the 2nd General Hospital in Le Havre for chronic otitis media, a painful and persistent inflammation of the middle ear, likely caused by a perforated eardrum. Such infections were not uncommon among artillerymen, as their constant exposure to the concussive blasts of heavy guns could rupture eardrums and damage delicate inner ear structures, a condition now known as noise-induced hearing loss. During that era, hearing protection was rare and ineffective, so gunners simply endured the debilitating noise. The medical community was also poorly equipped to deal with such conditions, and many doctors misdiagnosed noise-induced deafness, attributing it to malingering or psychological issues rather than physical trauma. Despite the lack of understanding, the severity of Sidney’s condition necessitated his evacuation, and after 18 days of treatment, he was transferred to the hospital ship Carisbrook Castle and returned to England.
Following this, he was assigned to the “B” Battery of the Anti-Aircraft Depot at Parkhurst as an Acting Bombardier; however, no military records confirm the exact date of this transfer or his specific duties. The Parkhurst facility, located on the Isle of Wight, housed reserve brigades and served as a training pool for new recruits and soldiers returning from leave or injury before joining active batteries. Sidney likely assisted with training and would have almost certainly been promoted to a full bombardier had his health not deteriorated further in early 1918.
Sidney was admitted to Parkhurst Military Hospital on the Isle of Wight, where, on 25th April 1918, he died of pneumonia at the age of 24. His body was transported home and buried in St. James the Less churchyard. He was posthumously awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
Their father, James Snr., died on 11th June 1928, at the age of 69, and their mother, Sarah, died the following year, on 19th November 1929, aged 67. They were both buried in the churchyard of St James the Less—alongside their sons Sidney and James.
Sidney and James were not commemorated with individual military headstones, but instead honoured together on a family gravestone.
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In Ever Loving Memory Also Corpl. James Edward Allen, The Dearly Beloved Sons Of Also Alfred John Allen, |
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James and Sidney’s Brothers
Of the five surviving Allen brothers, only Ernest appears to have served in the military during the First World War. Archibald enlisted with the Royal Marine Light Infantry in December 1918.
1. Ernest James Allen (1887-1953)
Upon turning 18, Ernest, who stood almost 6 feet tall, enlisted as a Gunner with the Royal Garrison Artillery on 21st August 1906. He was likely stationed in Portsmouth, where he married Emily Rose HAMMERTON from Richmond, Surrey, on 7th February 1909. Five months later, Emily gave birth to twins, Richard Ernest James and Helen Gladys Daisy.
On 12th November 1909, Ernest was appointed Acting Bombardier. The 1911 census recorded him stationed at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich with the 35th Heavy Battery. His wife and children lived in Hadleigh, where they boarded with her mother and younger siblings after relocating from London. Ernest was promoted to full Bombardier on 11th January 1913.
As war loomed, Ernest was promoted to Corporal on 3rd August 1914. This rank placed him in charge of a gun team. His responsibilities may have included supervising the operation of one of the unit’s four 60-pounder guns, managing the supply of ammunition, and coordinating horse-drawn wagons that transported artillery and equipment.
The battery departed Southampton on the evening of 18th August, arriving in Boulogne the following morning. It was among the first British artillery units to reach France, landing on the Western Front with the 2nd Division. During these early months, the war was still mobile and fluid—characterised by rapid advances and retreats, rather than the static trench warfare that would later define the conflict. Ernest and his battery were constantly on the move, relying heavily on horses to haul their heavy guns across muddy roads, fields, and river crossings.
In the following months, the 35th Heavy Battery found itself at the heart of the British Expeditionary Force’s earliest and most gruelling engagements. They fought in the Battle of Mons (23rd August 1914), where British forces made a valiant stand against the advancing German army. Following a strategic retreat, they regrouped for the Battle of the Marne (5th to 12th September), a pivotal clash that halted the German advance toward Paris. Soon after, they engaged in the Battle of the Aisne (13th to 28th September), marking the beginning of trench warfare. The battery then endured the brutal conditions of the First Battle of Ypres (19th October to 22nd November), a desperate and bloody struggle to prevent German forces from breaking through to the Channel ports. Amidst these harrowing campaigns, Ernest was promoted to Sergeant on 17th November 1914.
In mid-January 1915, Ernest was admitted to a field hospital with a fractured and dislocated ankle, an injury sustained while serving with the 35th Heavy Battery on the Western Front. He was transferred to a British hospital in France on the 15th and sent back to England a week later. On 22nd January, he was admitted to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London, where his medical records noted periostitis—an inflammation of the tissue surrounding the bone—alongside a persistent bruise and pain in his right foot. Although he was discharged after 12 days on 2nd February, the nature of his injury likely rendered him unfit for the physical demands of front-line artillery service.
Instead of returning him to the trenches, the army retained Ernest for home service, where his leadership and character could be put to good use. A military note from 1913 described him as “honest, sober, industrious, cleanly, intelligent, trustworthy, a very good horseman, and possessing a good power of command”—qualities that made him an ideal candidate for training recruits, managing logistics and maintaining discipline within home-based units. Artillery work required not only physical strength but also precision, calm under pressure, and the ability to lead men and care for horses—skills that Ernest consistently demonstrated.
Ernest’s military career advanced steadily over the next two years. On 18th June 1915, he was promoted to Sergeant. By 1st June 1916, he had risen to Acting Battalion Sergeant Major of the “C” Mountain Battery—a specialised artillery unit trained to operate in rugged terrain using pack animals to transport guns. Ernest was confirmed as a full Battalion Sergeant Major on 27th April 1917, and posted with the 12th Mountain Battery a few days later.
As Battalion Sergeant Major, Ernest held the highest non-commissioned rank in the battery, responsible for discipline, training, logistics, and serving as a vital link between officers and enlisted men. His role was especially critical in the 12th Mountain Battery—part of Britain’s expanding imperial artillery forces—which operated in rugged terrains like mountains and deserts where conventional guns could not reach. These units relied on mules to transport dismantled artillery, demanding precision, adaptability, and skilled teamwork. Ernest’s appointment reflected both his technical competence and trusted leadership in challenging colonial theatres such as Egypt and Palestine.
On 5th January 1918, Ernest was posted to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. His wife, Emily, was seven months pregnant with their third child at the time—a poignant reminder of the personal sacrifices made by families during wartime. Ernest’s deployment marked the beginning of a new chapter in his service, taking him far from the Western Front into the shifting sands of the Middle East. He was promoted to Warrant Officer Class 2 and departed Southampton, landing in Le Havre, France, the following day, before finally arriving in Alexandria, Egypt, on 16th February. He was then assigned to the 12th Mountain Battery, which had transferred to the 9th Mounted Brigade. Stationed at the coastal military camp of Sidi Bishr, the unit prepared for deployment into the harsh Palestinian theatre.
On 3rd March, Ernest formally re-engaged in the field, aiming to complete 21 years of service. His battery operated in the rugged Jordan Valley, supporting British forces following the capture of Jericho and providing vital mobile artillery support during the climactic Battle of Megiddo in September 1918. During the pursuit phase of this decisive victory, his unit contributed to the encirclement of Ottoman forces, helping to secure the region. Ernest was admitted to the hospital on 30th October, though no details of his injuries have survived.
On 22nd January 1919, Ernest was mentioned in dispatches for his service with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force—a formal recognition of distinguished conduct in the field. Unfortunately, no further personal records from this period have emerged, leaving a gap in an otherwise distinguished career.
Ernest was demobilised on 20th April 1919 with the rank of Battery Sergeant Major. He received the British War Medal, Victory Medal and the 1914 Star—marking him as one of the “Old Contemptibles.” This honour was reserved for members of the British Expeditionary Force who served in France and Flanders between August and November 1914. The nickname came from a dismissive remark attributed to Kaiser Wilhelm II, who reportedly referred to Britain’s small professional army as “contemptible.” The soldiers embraced the label with pride, and it became a symbol of courage and endurance in the war’s earliest and most brutal battles.
Ernest returned home in April 1919 and likely met his youngest daughter, Rose Evelyn Ramsey, for the first time. She had just turned one. He resumed his work as a bricklayer and gradually adjusted to civilian life. Over the following decades, Ernest and Emily witnessed their three children marry in the 1930s and welcomed several grandchildren into the family.
By the outbreak of the Second World War, Ernest (52) was once again serving his community, this time from the home front. The 1939 Register lists him as a Second Officer in the Fire Brigade and an Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Warden under the Basildon Urban District Council. These roles placed him at the centre of civil defence, where he coordinated emergency responses, patrolled during blackouts, and guided civilians to safety during air raids.
Ernest died at Southend General Hospital on 15th November 1953 at the age of 65, followed by Emily on 9th December 1966, at the age of 77. They were buried together in St James the Less Churchyard.
2. Alfred John Allen (1889-1974)
Alfred never married, and no military records have been identified. He worked as a bricklayer throughout his life and died in 1974, at the age of 85.
3. Bertie William Allen (1892-1966)
There are no known military records for Bertie, who was 22 years old when the war broke out in 1914. He was employed as a bricklayer for the Essex County Council, and in 1919, at the age of 27, married Matilda FRANKLIN (née THORINGTON). She was a 43-year-old widow with three children from her first marriage (aged 21, 18 and 16). The couple did not have children of their own, and Matilda died in 1943, at the age of 67.
Bertie remarried three years later to Amy Wallis Greenfield Worrell WORDLY, formerly BARRETT and née TASKERE—a woman who had been married twice before and carried three surnames as middle names. The couple moved to South Benfleet, where Amy died nine years later on 8th August 1955, aged 66. Bertie died in 1966 at the age of 74.
6. Percy Richard Allen (1899-1983)
When the 1921 census was taken, Percy was 22 years old and employed by his father as a bricklayer’s labourer. He continued to live at Myrtle Villia until he married Agnes Miriam HOWARD on 25th February 1922, at St James the Less. The couple moved to Thundersley, where they had three children.
Percy returned to Myrtle Villa after his parents’ death and was listed in the electoral records there from 1931. He worked as a bricklayer for many years and lived a long life, dying on 30th September 1983, at the age of 84. Agnes predeceased him in 1966, aged 63.
7. Myrtle Archibald Stanley Allen (1901-1966)
Archibald, as he was known, enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry on 4th December 1918, aged 17. He was working as a farm labourer at the time.
He was stationed in Deal, Kent, with the Chatham Division until 16th February 1920, after which he transferred to the Plymouth Division. During his service, he spent time aboard the HMS Orion between 17th February and 21st June 1920, and the HMS Resolution between 14th September 1920 and 11 June 1921. He was also stationed as a guard in Queenstown, Ireland, with HMS Collen from 13th July 1921 to 31st January 1922. Archibald was discharged as a Private on 8th February 1922, having served just over three years. He returned home to Myrtle Villa, where he found work with his father as a bricklayer.
On 24th February 1923, Archibald married Annie Louise EVANS at St James the Less. They had three children before her untimely death in 1930, at the age of 27. In tribute to his fallen brothers, Archibald and Annie named their son Sydney James.
Archibald briefly moved in with his brother Percy at Myrtle Villa after the death of his wife, before marrying Beatrice Florence BYFORD towards the end of 1931. The family then moved to Rayleigh, where three additional children were born.
Archibald died on 30th May 1966, aged 64, followed by Beatrice on 10th March 1985, aged 77.
Link To Hadleigh
Sidney and James were born and lived in Hadleigh, so their place on the war memorial is clear.
The St James the Less church WWI plaque lists the death of S C Allen in 1918 and J E Allen in 1919. The memorial plaque names them as Sidney C Allen and James E Allen. Sidney and James were brothers.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission states:
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Allen Family Tree
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- Allen Family Tree
