William Edward David Allen
Encyclopedia
William Edward David Allen (6 January 1901 – 18 September 1973) was a British
scholar, Foreign Service officer, politician
and businessman, best known as a historian of South Caucasus
. He was closely involved in the politics of Northern Ireland
, and had fascist
tendencies.
, he was educated at Eton College
. He was a military correspondent during the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
and the Rif War
(1925). Allen stood unsuccessfully in Fermanagh and Tyrone
at 1922 general election
, but was elected seven years later on his next attempt, at the 1929 general election
as the Unionist Member of Parliament
(MP) for Belfast West
.
’s New Party
, and did not contest the 1931 general election
.
He was a close friend of Mosley and helped him to pursue his fascist ambitions from behind the scenes, by supporting him financially and by contributing mainly anonymous articles to The Blackshirt, including "The Letters of Lucifer
". WED Allen also wrote a book BUF
, Oswald Mosley and British Fascism (1934) under the pen name of James Drennan. It has frequently been reported that he was an MI5
informant but this now appears to be false.
In the pre-World War II
years, he traveled a lot and conducted extensive research on the history of the peoples of the Caucasus
and Anatolia
. In 1930, along with Sir Oliver Wardrop, he founded the Georgian Historical Society which published its own journal Georgica dedicated to Kartvelian studies
.
Allen was a Foreign Service officer from 1943 until he stepped down and returned to his native Ulster
in 1949. Together with his two younger brothers, he ran David Allen's, a major bill-posting company.
(1865-1929) (2) from 1932 to 1939, to Paula Gellibrand (1898-1986), once Cecil Beaton's favourite models, formerly the wife of the Marquis de Casa Maury and formerly the wife of Ivan Wilkie Brooks; and (3) from 1943, to Nathalie Maximovna.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
scholar, Foreign Service officer, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and businessman, best known as a historian of South Caucasus
South Caucasus
The South Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Trans-Caucasus...
. He was closely involved in the politics of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and had fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
tendencies.
Early career
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. He was a military correspondent during the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)
The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
and the Rif War
Rif Republic
The Republic of the Rif , was created in September 1921, when the people of the Rif revolted and declared their independence from Spanish occupation as well as from the Moroccan sultan.Its capital city was Ajdir, its currency the Rif Republic Riffan, its national...
(1925). Allen stood unsuccessfully in Fermanagh and Tyrone
Fermanagh and Tyrone
Fermanagh and Tyrone can refer to:*Fermanagh and Tyrone *Fermanagh and Tyrone...
at 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
, but was elected seven years later on his next attempt, at the 1929 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
as the Unionist Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Belfast West
Belfast West (UK Parliament constituency)
Belfast West is a parliamentary constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.-Boundaries:The seat was restored in 1922 when as part of the establishment of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut...
.
Fascism
He defected from the Unionists in 1931, to join Sir Oswald MosleyOswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
’s New Party
New Party (Oswald Mosley)
The New Party was a political party briefly active in the United Kingdom in the early 1930s. It was formed by Sir Oswald Mosley, an MP who had belonged to both the Conservative and Labour parties, quitting Labour after its 1930 conference narrowly rejected his "Mosley Memorandum", a document he...
, and did not contest the 1931 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1931
The United Kingdom general election on Tuesday 27 October 1931 was the last in the United Kingdom not held on a Thursday. It was also the last election, and the only one under universal suffrage, where one party received an absolute majority of the votes cast.The 1931 general election was the...
.
He was a close friend of Mosley and helped him to pursue his fascist ambitions from behind the scenes, by supporting him financially and by contributing mainly anonymous articles to The Blackshirt, including "The Letters of Lucifer
Lucifer
Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
". WED Allen also wrote a book BUF
British Union of Fascists
The British Union was a political party in the United Kingdom formed in 1932 by Sir Oswald Mosley as the British Union of Fascists, in 1936 it changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists and then in 1937 to simply the British Union...
, Oswald Mosley and British Fascism (1934) under the pen name of James Drennan. It has frequently been reported that he was an MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
informant but this now appears to be false.
In the pre-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
years, he traveled a lot and conducted extensive research on the history of the peoples of the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
and Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. In 1930, along with Sir Oliver Wardrop, he founded the Georgian Historical Society which published its own journal Georgica dedicated to Kartvelian studies
Kartvelian studies
The Kartvelian studies, or Kartvelology is a field of humanities covering Kartvelian history, languages, religion and/or culture....
.
Allen was a Foreign Service officer from 1943 until he stepped down and returned to his native Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
in 1949. Together with his two younger brothers, he ran David Allen's, a major bill-posting company.
Personal life
He was married: (1) from 1922 to 1932, to Lady Phyllis Edith King (1897-1947), daughter of Lionel Fortescue King, 3rd Earl of LovelaceEarl of Lovelace
Earl of Lovelace is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1838 for William King-Noel, 8th Baron King. The King family descends from Jerome King, a grocer, of Exeter, and his wife Anne, daughter of Peter Locke, nephew of the philosopher John Locke...
(1865-1929) (2) from 1932 to 1939, to Paula Gellibrand (1898-1986), once Cecil Beaton's favourite models, formerly the wife of the Marquis de Casa Maury and formerly the wife of Ivan Wilkie Brooks; and (3) from 1943, to Nathalie Maximovna.
Main works
- The Turks in Europe (1919)
- A history of the Georgian people (1932)
- The Russian Military Campaigns of 1941-1943 (part 1, 1943)
- The Russian Military Campaigns 1943-1945 (part 2, 1946)
- Caucasian Battlefields: A History of the Wars on the Turko-Caucasian Border 1828-1921 (by WED Allen and Paul Muratof, 1953)
- David Allens - The History of a Family Firm 1857-1957 (1957) attributed to W.E.D. Allen but ghosted in part by his friend Kim Philby, the Communist spy.
- Problems of Turkish Power in the Sixteenth Century (1963)
- Russian Embassies to the Georgian Kings: 1589-1605 (1970)