Personal info
- Name: William Barnsley ALLEN
- D.O.B: 8th Jun, 1892
- D.O.A: 3rd Sep, 1916
- D.O.D: 27th Oct, 1933
- Award: Victoria Cross
- Occupation at time of action: Captain, Royal Army Medical Corps, attached 1/3rd (West Riding) Field Ambulance, 246th (West Riding) Brigade, RFA TF, 49th Division
Near Mesnil, France 3 September 1916
3 September 1916
The First World War 1916
On 3 September 1916 the British attacked German positions near the River Ancre. A battery of the 246th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, took part in the action between Mesnil and Hamel, west of Thiepval and north of Albert.
Citation
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. When gun detachments were unloading H.E. ammunition from wagons which had just come up, the enemy suddenly began to shell the battery position. The first shell fell on one of the limbers, exploded the ammunition and caused several casualties. Captain Allen saw the occurrence and at once, with utter disregard of danger, ran straight across the open, under heavy shell fire, commenced dressing the wounded, and undoubtedly by his promptness saved many of them from bleeding to death. He was himself hit four times during the first hour by pieces of shells, one of which fractured two of his ribs, but he never even mentioned this at the time, and coolly went on with his work till the last man was dressed and safely removed. He then went over to another battery and tended a wounded officer. It was only when this was done that he returned to his dug-out and reported his own injury.
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