James Allan

Rank:	Trooper
Street:	Baffin Street
Townland:
Town/Village:	Dundee,
Civil Parish:
Catholic Parish:
Country:	Scotland, U.K.
Alternative Address:
Census 1901:
Census 1911:
Regiment/Unit:	Household Cavalry & Cavalry of the Line, Special Cavalry Reserve 1st Battalion King Edward's Horse,
Regiment Number:	1293
Date of Death:	15-05-1916
Cause:	Drowned in Carrick-on-Shannon, while on sentry duty.
Memorial:	Grangegorman Memorial, Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 8 & Longford Presbyterian Cemetery (burial)
Information:	James Allan was born c.1873 (1871-1875) in Dundee, Scotland, and was the fourth son in his family; his father, William, was a shipmaster.* Trooper Allan enlisted in the Household Cavalry in London; he died close to the bridge in Carrick-on-Shannon, in a drowning accident. At the time Allan was in Carrick as part of a flying column from Longford barracks like for the purpose of investigating and arresting potential rebels after the Easter Rising. When Allan died, he was on night-time sentry duty and fell into the river at around midnight on the 14 May. An inquest was held and no evidence of foul play noted. It was noted that he had taken alcohol, and that he had arrived in Carrick for the first time that day (Sunday) and was unfamiliar with the town and the river. His brothers, William and David were listed as his next-of-kin. On his death the Leitrim Observer (20 May 1916) wrote an extensive account of the accident and inquest (partial link below: full accunt available on the Irish Newspaper Archive), including the nature of how the soldiers were fed and a recommendation by the court to the Carrick-on-Shannon Commissioners to erect a chain at the dock to prevent similar accidents: the Leitrim Observer themselves recommended chains on the dock wall to provide a hand-grip for any person unfortunate to fall in. On his funeral the Longford Leader (27 May 1916) wrote: 'Longford Day by Day - Friday: Trooper Allen of King Edward's Horse, who was drowned at Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday night; wa buried today with full military honours.
Parents Names:	Son of the late William Allan, Baffin Street, Dundee, Scotland
Notes:	The website KingEdwardsHorse.net has the following note on Pte Allan: "...During the Sinn Fein Rebellion 1916; "The only casualty was Private J. Allan, who while on the Flying Column, when on night sentry, fell into the river Shannon and was drowned. A coroner's jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure; but the suspicion will always remain that there was something vindictive behind this misadventure". However there is no other source attributed to this. . *This edition will be of note to those interested in the Longford participants in the Easter Rising, as mention is made of Tom Bannon, Frank McGuinness, Paul Cusack and John Cawley.
Links:	Link to CWGC entry; Article on death and inquest, Leitrim Observer, 20 May 1916; Notice of death in Longford Leader, 27 May 1916; KingEdwardsHorse.net;