Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Unit:

16 Parachute Field Ambulance, 3rd Parachute Battalion, British Army

Awarded on:

March 20th, 1947

Awarded for:

Operation Market Garden

"On the 18th September 1944 at Osterbeck, Staff-Sergeant Allen was left in command of a half section of 16 Parachute Field Ambulance which was attached to and in support of 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment. The situation was obscure, difficult and dangerous, there being constant mortar and small arms fire, and there was no contact with the Dressing Station in the rear. The Section was unprotected, and contact with Battalion and Company HQs hazardous and difficult.

Staff-Sergeant Allen proceeded to organise his half section into bearer parties and arranged the collection of casualties from the neighbouring woods, gardens, houses and streets of the suburbs. He himself supervised and directed the provision of a high standard of first aid and care of the wounded, though he had no Medical Officer to rely on, the Battalion Medical Officer having been captured, and his Section Officer being cut off. He worked incessantly throughout the day and the ensuing night, commanding the Section, providing treatment and sustenance for the casualties when he had collected them.

By the morning of the 19th September, the casualties numbered about thirty, and no evacuation having been possible Staff-Sergeant Allen took over a nearby house and organised it as a Casualty Collection Point, himself supervising the removal of the wounded to it, although under intermittent fire. Throughout the day, despite two direct hits from mortar bombs on the house, resulting in wounds to some of the already wounded as well as Royal Army Medical Corps Orderlies, Staff-Sergeant Allen continued to control the work of collection and care of casualties, remaining cool, calm and decisive, and directing most ably the prosecution of the work. A third mortar bomb now partially destroyed the Casualty Collection Point killing and wounded many of the occupants including three Royal Army Medical Corps Orderlies killed. Staff-Sergeant Allen then ordered the evacuation of the survivors, and located 181 Field Ambulance Dressing Station where they were taken.

At the Dressing Station Staff-Sergeant Allen found shortage of Staff, and despite long hours without rest, he assisted in the organisation of a minor surgical theatre, staffed it with his own section and himself worked as Operating Room Assistant.

Without his devotion to duty, his high standard of skill, and his outstanding organising ability and leadership, many wounded would have gone untended and uncollected even. In all his service with 16 Parachute Field Ambulance Staff-Sergeant Allen has shown himself to be most conscientious, hard working and capable. In addition to being senior Section NCO and carrying out the concomitant duties untiringly, he was always most willing to take on extra work in connection with the welfare and efficiency of the Unit, and often for example spent many hours preparing tables of a high standard of accuracy, and acted in fact as Unit Intelligence NCO."

Royal Decree no. 1, dd. 9-2-1946