Frank Harry ALLEN

1879 ~ 1953

Frank Harry Allen , the son of Richard George and Eliza ALLEN was born on 15th January 1879 in Penzance.

He began his naval career on 22nd January 1900 and served until 1929. His time with the Royal Navy is briefly described by the engraving of a napkin ring that remains in the family and is reproduced below together with some illustrations and additional information.

He married Beatrice TRYTHALL in Penzance on 26th June 1904 and they had six children, George Alfred, Roy Frank, Freddie, Bernard Charles, Dorothy Beatrice and Howard John Victor.

Beatrice,  died in the December Quarter of 1966 and is buried in Plymouth.

Frank Harry ALLEN died on 15th May 1953 in Plymouth.

 

Transcription of Frank Harry ALLEN's  silver napkin ring ( with additional information from his early service record)

Frank H Allen
"Caught" January 1900 E R A:  Volunteered 22 January 1900 for 12 years .  5'4" Dark Hair, Brown Eyes, Fair complexion.
H M S Vivid II 1900 – 1901  Act. ERA IV 22 Jan1900  25 Feb 1901

H M S Gibraltar 1901

Act. ERA IV 26 Feb1901  18 Jun 1901 

        ERA IV 19 Jun1901  20 Jan 1902

HMS GIBRALTAR, EDGAR Class Cruiser

  • Built 1892

  • 7.700 tons (copper sheathed)
  • 360' x 60' x 25'
  • Guns: 2 9.2", 10 63", 12 6 pdrs, 5 3 pdrs, Torpedo tubes 2 18" submerged
  • Engines: 10,000 h.p.; 18knots/forced draught 12,000 h.p. 19.5 knots

H M S Dwarf 1901 – 1902   ERA IV 21 Jan1902  11 Dec 1902

 HMS Dwarf; Gunboat.
  • 710 tons, 180' x 33' x 8' Guns 2 4", 4 12-pdrs. Engines 1,300 to 1,400 h.p.; 13 knots
  • The sixth “DWARF” is a 2-gun twin-screw gunboat launched at Glasgow in 1898.  She is of 710 tons, 1300 horse-power, and 13.5 knots speed.  Her length, beam, and draught were 180ft., 33ft., and 8ft.   In 1900 the “Dwarf,” commanded by Lieutenant Frank Hastings Shakespear, played a minor part in the second Boer War. In January 1901 the “Dwarf,” commanded by Lieutenant F.H. Shakespear, assisted in a minor way in some combined Anglo-French operations in the Gambia River against the rebellious chief, Fodeh Cabbah.


H M S Gibraltar 1902 – 1903  ERA IV 12 Dec 1902  21 Jun 1903

                                                   1st Good Conduct Badge granted 22 January 1903
                                                   ERA III 22 Jan 1903   29 Jul 1903

H.M.S. Gibraltar, Edgar Class cruiser.
  • 1892; copper sheathed, 7,700 tons, 360' x 60' x 25'.  Guns   2 9.2", 10 6", 12 6-pdrs., 5 3-pdrs. Torpedo tubes 2 18" submerged.  Engines10,000h.p.; 18.5 knots.(Forced draught; 12,000 h.p., 19.5 knots)

 

 

 

H M S Partridge 1902 – 1903 ERA III  30 Jul   1903   17 Nov1903

H M S Gibraltar 1902 – 1903  ERA III 18 Nov 1903   17 Jun 1904

H M S Vivid  1904                   ERA III 18  Jun 1904   30 Sep 1904
H M S Indus 1904 – 1906        ERA III   1 Oct 1904     1 Aug 1906

 

HMS TEMERAIRE    9th May 1876 Renamed INDUS II in 1904,  Renamed  AKBAR in 1915.   Sold for scrap in 1921.

 

H M S Hogue 1906 – 1908   ERA III   2 Aug 1906   20 Jan 1907

                                               2nd Good Conduct Badge granted 27th January 1908

                                               ERA II 21 Jan 1907   10 May 1908

H M S Hogue, Cressy Class cruiser
  • First class armoured cruiser, laid down at Vickers Yard, Barrow in July 1898, launched August 1900, and completed November 1902. Hogue, together with her sister ships Aboukir and Cressy was sunk by the German submarine U-9 on 22 September 1914.
  • 12,000 tons, 466' x 69.5' x 27'. Guns 2 9.2", 12 6", 13 12-pdrs, 3 3-pdrs, Torpedo tubes 2 18" submerged. Engines,  21,000 h.p.; 21 knots
     

H M S Vivid II 1900 – 1901   ERA II 11 May1908  26 May 1908
H M S Caesar 1908 – 1909    ERA II 27 May1908  14 May 1909

H M S Caesar, Majestic Class battleship
  • First class battleship, completed January 1898. Main armament of four 12-inch guns; speed 17 knots.  Sold for breaking up in 1921.
  • Caesar 14,900 tons; 390' x 75' x 26.5' Guns4 12", 12 6", 16 12-pdrs., Torpedo tubes 18", 1 stern mounted, 4 submerged. Engines; 10,000 h.p.;16 knots (Forced draught; 12,000 h.p. 17 knots)


H M S Temeraire 1909 – 1910  ERA II 15 May1909  30 Sep 1910

 H.M.S. TEMERAIRE, ( Keel laid Aug., 1907)

           BELLEROPHON Class Dreadnaught.

  • Temeraire;  18,600 tons, 526' x 82.5' x 27'. Guns 10 12", 16 4", 4 3-pdrs. Torpedo tubes 3 18" (submerged) Engines 23,000 h.p.; 20.75 knots

 

N.P. 4129/10 Promoted to Acting Artificer Engineers 1/10/10

 H M S Boadicea 1910 – 1913

Extract from log of H.M.S. Boadicea:

Saturday 14th January 1911  At Harwich

P.M.

6.00 Stokers to Evening Quarters

6.15 Art. Eng. Mr Allen joined ship.

6.40 Closed 'C' Doors

H.M.S. Boadicea, 1908   Light Cruiser

  • 3,300 tons 385' x 41' x 13.5'. Guns 6 4", 4 3-pdrs.(saluting). Torpedo tubes 2 18" above water. Engines; 18,000 h.p., 25 knots.

HMS Boadicea

Built Pembroke Dockyard, laid down June 1907, completed June 1909.

World War 1 Service:

Attached to Grand Fleet Battle Squadrons.

15 December 1914 Bridge lost in storm with several men drowned.

31 May-1 June 1916 took part in the Battle of Jutland.

Four additional 4 inch guns were added in 1916 as was a 3 inch anti-aircraft

gun, which was upgraded to a 4 inch weapon before the end of the war.

December 1917 converted to lay mines.

1926 sold for scrap.

H M S Berwick 1913

H M S Berwick 1902 ,  Monmouth Class Cruiser
  • First class armoured cruiser, laid down at Beardmores in Dalmuir in April 1901, launched September 1902, and completed December 1903. Berwick served throughout World War One and was sold for breaking up in 1920.
  • 9,800 tons 448/ x 66' x 24.5', Guns  14 6", 9 12-pdrs, 3 3-pdrs. Torpedo tubes 2 18" submerged.  Engines; 22,000 h.p.; 23 knots


 

H M S Implacable   20th August 1913   Sheerness, " Mr Allen, Art. Eng. joined ship from R.N.Barracks"

 HMS Implacable  1899,  Formidable Class battleship
  •  Implacable built 1899
  • SOLD FOR Break-Up 8th November 1921
  • 15,000 tons 431.75' x 75' x 25'. Guns 4 12", 12 6", 16 12-pdrs., 6 3-pdrs. Torpedos 4 18" submerged. Engines; 15,000 h.p.; 18 knots

H M S Majestic 1913 – 1915

The Senior Flagship of the Channel Squadron
Except for the Magnificent her sister ship, the Majestic was without equal among the ships of war afloat in 1896. Every appliance on board, whatever its nature, was of the latest design. Her Harveyed-steel armour was a novelty, and its arrangement on the sides of the ship extended over a much larger area than in ships designed before her. Her 50 ton guns were a new type; her broadside armament of quick-firers was the most formidable and the best protected seen on board a ship of war. The Majestic was launched by Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne, and was commissioned within two years of the laying of her keel.

 

HMS Majestic foundering in 1915

Lt-Cdr Hersing in "U-21" left Germany in late April, reaching Cattaro in mid-May. On the 27th  Hersing catches the old British battleship "MAJESTIC" and torpedoes her twice. She turns over and sinks within seven minutes, but casualties are not heavy. "U-21" later passes through the Dardanelles and reaches Constantinople in early June.

H M S Valiant 1915 – 1916

  HMS VALIANT  1915   Queen Elizabeth Class super dreadnought.
  • 27,500 tons  645' x 90' x 29.5'
  • Guns: 8 15", 14 6", 2 3" A.A., 4 3 pdrs, Torpedo tubes 4 21"
  • Engines: Turbines, 75,000 h.p., 24 knots

 

 


H M S P39 1916 – 1919

 Patrol Craft


H M S PC70 1919

PC70 Converted Patrol Boat


H M S P39 1919 – 1920

P-boats
  • built 1915 -1917
  • 578 to 613 tons, 244' x 23'
  • Guns 1 4"
  • Engines: Turbines 3,500 to 4000 h.p.; 23 knots


H M S Cornflower 1920 – 1922

Flower Class sloop (Arabis type)
  • Built 1915
  • 1,200 tons. 265'x33'x11'.
  • Guns: 2 4", depth charges
  • 2,400h.p.; 17 knots


Eng Admirals Office 1922 – 1924


H M S Foxglove 1924 – 1926

Flower Class sloop (Acacia type)
  • Built 1915
  • 1,200 tons. 265'x33'x11'.
  • Guns: 2 4", depth charges
  • 2,400h.p.; 17 knots

"Report on the New Territories for the Year 1924"

... in August (1925)  H.M.S. `Foxglove' was despatched to recover two junks, laden with merchandise which had been seized by the "strikers".

HMS FOXGLOVE

China

(From a Christmas card)

Extract from the log of …..

H.M.S. Foxglove Saturday 15th day of August 1925

From Amoy {Xiamen} To Hongkong via Swatou {Shantou} 

 

 or at Sea & Honghai Wan Bay
Noon                        N 22° 21.0’       E 114° 51.0’       Economic speed was exceeded in having been directed by the C-in-C to proceed at full speed to the rescue of two pirated junks.

1300 Hands to make & mend clothes

1330 a/c S74°W

1514. a/c N4°W for lairs Bay IncN 120 revs.

1523 In cd 130revs. 1530 a/c N1°E. 1537 In cd 140revs

1600 – 1608 a/c N20W . 1616 Bate Hd to port 0’.4

1620 Hauled in patent log. 1632 a/c N40W. 1655 a/c N56W

1705 a/c N59W Red 110 revs. 1710 Stopped off Zin Tin village

& picked up District & police officers. 1740 Proceeded ?? S59°W

1800- for Sha tau kok village. 1808. Stopped 1810 Came to with

Stbd f in 3 Ύ fathoms off village. Veered to 2 ½ shackles & secured.

1815 Hands to action stations. Sent armed parties away in boats.

Whalers to endeavour to tow off two pirated junks

2000- 1930 Secured, returned ammunition. 2015 whalers returned

to ship having been unsuccessful. Commenced turning searchlight on

junks every 10 mins. 2116 Received orders to proceed to Hongkong

2120. Hoisted all boats

2300 Shortened in 2307 Weighed & turned ship. Cs & Sp as reqtd for

leaving, harbour & for avoiding fishing fleet.

2400.

  

H M Dockyard Gun Mountings 1926 – 1929
Retired as Lieut Commander January 1929

Frank Harry ALLEN & Beatrice

on the Occasion of the British Legion Dinner,  

26th March 1940

 

 

The ALLEN Family About 1950 at Trevaylor, Elburton, Plymouth

Frank Harry, George Alfred, Amy,  Beatrice, Dorothy Beatrice, David Scott Evans,

                             Ronald,                            Monica, Howard John Victor

               Brian, Andrew S Evans, Mark S Evans ,

                                                             Claire Margaret