Reg ALLAN

A snippet from the Yorkshire Post dated 23 Dec 1949.

Queen's Park Rangers goalkeeper Reg Allen has requested a transfer,in 1947 he also requested a transfer,refusing to move to Chelsea - Chelsea had offered £8000,a record at that time for a goalkeeper.It is unlikely that QPR will let Allen go for less than
£15,000 - no offers yet received.

How times have changed,

Does anyone know of this Reg Allen,from the nominals there are two:both Corporals one from 2 cdo the other from 6 cdo.

Graham

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 05/09/2014 13:40:18

Arthur Reginald Allen (born 3 May 1919 in Marylebone, London, died 3 April 1976) was a goalkeeper with Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United.

Reg made his QPR league debut against Newport County in December 1938 and was known as one of the best goalkeepers of his era

The vigorous Commando training allowed no time for sport, especially as I and ten others were picked to form the nucleus of a special branch of the Commandos, which later became known as the Special Boat Service.

After only six operations I had the misfortune to be taken Prisoner-of-War, whilst in company with a Marine and attempting to sink a ship in Benghazi Harbour. This was in August, 1941

Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/21487/wartime-experiences-reg-allen#ixzz3CR5vaXLf

Mark

Thanks for the answer,its spot on.

Regards
Graham

PS now to track what cdo,before joining SBS

Well this actually fits in with some information i got from Ron Youngman. He originally served in No 8 Commando not Nos 2 or 6. No 8 Commando as you know went out with Layforce and was later disbanded.

All the best

Pete

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 05/09/2014 15:21:56

Additionally the article mentions Stalag 344 which was Lamsdorf Prisoner of War Camp. We have some photos of it as it was renumbered at some stage from Stalag VIII-B :

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/POW/

Some football photos in there as well.

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 25/04/2022 20:25:27

Found another reference to Reg. being a POW and Commando. from an article in the Telegraph by Henry Winter dated 23rd August 2005

Reg Allen, the QPR goalkeeper and commando, kept being landed from submarines on dangerous raids. He was eventually caught, escaped and when recaptured was sent to a POW camp where he organised six-a-side games. Allen insisted on playing upfront.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/henrywinter/2364172/When-all-was-not-quiet-on-footballs-home-front.html

If you look at the man in the front row, bottom left and next to the ball in this image, from the gallery Pete pointed us to

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/POW/Dutch+Holland+Scan-+9a.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Does he look a bit like the 2nd photo down of Reg Allen from here http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/21487/wartime-experiences-reg-allen

^ Admin (PR): It is not Reg Allen. It is William 'Dutch' Holland, photo from his own collection provided, and identified, by his daughter.

Hi

A CA newsletter no 114 dated March 2002 ,has a belated obituary

Ssgt Reginald Arthur Allen of HANWELL, Middlesex

Funny that the QPR football article refers to him as ARTHUR REGINALD,while the CA has the names the other way.

Reading the QPR football article it states that Reg started playing football in the HANWELL and district league.

Graham

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 05/09/2014 22:38:49

In the QPR football article, it says

After only six operations I had the misfortune to be taken Prisoner-of-War, whilst in company with a Marine and attempting to sink a ship in Benghazi Harbour. This was in August, 1941

So two men taken prisoner in Benghazi Harbour in August 1941 i.e Reg Allen and 1 other.

I tried to find a reference to this, and the closest I could find is the following, which talks of 2 men being captured in Benghazi harbour in 21st July 1941 after being delivered by
the submarine HMS Taku.

21 Jul 1941
In the early morning HMS Taku (Lt.Cdr. E.C.F. Nicolay, RN) lands a folbot party of 2 off Benghazi. They were to attack a ship in the harbour. Several explosions were observed in the harbour 40 minutes after launching the folbot party. The folbot party did not show up on the rendezvous point. They were obviously captured.

see http://www.uboat.net/allies/commanders/1836.html

This book, mentions an SBS operation around this period

Sinking of a ship in benghazi harbour; on the way back the Folbot sank and the two men were subsequently captured.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3AOSAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=operation+Benghazi+Harbour+raid+sbs&source=bl&ots=WBK5S-E8hz&sig=SE4xI05FjmM_t0NCB6byV1PkvQ4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kK8JVN6BK8zpaMiBgZgL&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=operation%20Benghazi%20Harbour%20raid%20sbs&f=false

Picture of a 2 man Folbot
http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/6/Two+man+Folbot+canoe+of+101+Troop+from+6+Commando_.jpg.html

Hi,
In the book SBS, by John Parker on page 20,gives the answer as to who the Marine was.

One canoe team Sgt ALLAN and Marine MILES."having successfully sent an enemy ship to the bottom of BENGHAZI Harbour with limpet mines,hit a jagged rock as they paddled their way to a rendezvous with the mother sub and were captured."

Marine Miles was the other crewman.

Graham