Robert Allen was born in Stockport and baptised on 14 December 1887 at St Augustine Church.

In 1891, he lived with his parents and three brothers and two sisters at 5 Barton Crescent, Cheadle. The family is thought to have moved to Draycott, presumably to find employment on the lace industry, but by 1911 Robert was back in Stockport staying with his uncle’s family at 17 Mahood Street in Edgeley.

He signed his attestation paper on 2 September 1914, which confirms his wife's first name as Amy and verifies he joined the Cheshire Regiment.

After completing his training Robert was posted to the 9th Battalion which was part of the British Expeditionary Force posted to France on 19 July 1915.

He was in the field of action for 12 months when he was injured and returned to England on 6 July 1916. It is likely that Robert was in action at the Somme battlefield. Eventually, on 20 July, he was admitted to the King George Hospital on Stamford Street in London. Robert’s injuries are recorded as a gun shot wound to the left arm and chest.

On 9 January 1917 he was discharged as being no longer fit for war service because of his wounds and awarded Silver War Badge number 117345.

Six months later Robert was taken ill. The date of his death is recorded on the screen wall as 31 July 1917, but there is official evidence stating he died on 1 August 1917 from acute lobar pneumonia.

His wife, Amy, re-married and took the name Bowley. She lived at 12 Hagar Street, Edgeley.