Laurence Wilfred Allen was an English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 flying ace

Flying ace

A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...

. He was credited with ten confirmed victories while serving as an observer/gunner in Bristol F.2 Fighter

Bristol F.2 Fighter

The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...

s.

World War I

Allen originally was a member of the Territorial Army, being commissioned in the Warwickshires on 20 November 1915 before switching to aviation.

On 5 April 1917, after being assigned to 48 Squadron in France, he scored his first aerial victory while crewed with pilot Captain Alan Wilkinson

Alan Wilkinson (aviator)

Lieutenant Colonel Alan Machin Wilkinson became a flying ace early in World War I.-Early life and service:...

 in a Bristol F.2a Fighter

Bristol F.2 Fighter

The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...

. On 9 April, Allen and Wilkinson shared two more victories with Captain John Letts

John Letts (aviator)

Captain John Herbert Towne Letts was a British World War I flying ace credited with 13 confirmed victories.-Early life:Letts was the sole child of Helen and Walter Letts of Steep Hill House, Lincoln. He attended RMC Sandhurst before serving in the Lincolnshires...

 and his observer. On 11 April 1917, Second Lieutenant Allen was officially seconded to the Royal Flying Corps

Royal Flying Corps

The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...

.

By the end of Bloody April

Bloody April

During the First World War, the month of April 1917 was known as Bloody April by the Royal Flying Corps . The RFC suffered particularly severe losses — about three times as many as the Imperial German Army Air Service over the same period — but continued its primary role in support of the ground...

, Allen's score had reached seven. He would score twice in May while being piloted by Letts, being wounded in action

Wounded in action

Wounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....

 on 24 May 1917 while downing his ninth foe. His Military Cross was gazetted two days later.

He would score once more, on 16 June 1917. His final tally included: an Albatros D.III

Albatros D.III

The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...

 destroyed singlehanded; two more D.IIIs destroyed in victories shared with other aircrews; a two-seater reconnaissance plane and four D.IIIs singlehandedly driven down out of control; two Albatros D.IIIs driven down and shared with other aircrews.

Post World War I

Allen was transferred to the Class A Reserves of the Royal Air Force on 1 September 1922.

On 17 February 1926, he was slightly injured in the crash of Wolf no. G-EDHJ at Whitby

Whitby

Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...

 Aerodrome. On 30 March, he transferred into the Class C Reserves. On 1 September 1926, Flying Officer

Flying Officer

Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...

 Laurence Wilfred Allen completed his military service and gave up his commission.

There is no record known of him after that.

Honors and awards

Military Cross

2nd Lt. (temp. Lt.) Laurence Wilfred Allen,
R. War. R., attd. R.F.C.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to
duty when acting as an observer. On many
occasions he has helped to shoot down and destroy
hostile machines. He has shown the
greatest coolness and skill on all occasions,
frequently clearing difficult jams in the
middle of a fight.

Reference

• Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914-1918. Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest, Gregory Alegi. Grub Street, 1997. ISBN 1898697566, 9781898697565.

Endnotes