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Jack Allis

John (Jack) Allis was born in Nettleham in 1885.  The family moved to Sudthorpe, near Fulbeck, around 1900 where his father Richard Allis came to work in the ironstone quarries.  By 1911 the family were still in Fulbeck but Jack (aged 16) was working as a groom’s lad for Thomas Enderby, a farmer in Dembleby (between Sleaford and Bourne).

Jack enlisted in the Lincolnshire Regiment on 31 Aug 1914.  He was in training at Belton Park until Apr 1915, then at Frensham (near Guildford) before sailing to the Dardenelles on 1 July 1915.  They sailed from Liverpool to Alexandria.  Then via Mudros to Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula.  After 11 days ashore they were withdrawn for a landing further up the coast at Suvla Bay on the night of 6/7th August.  On the afternoon of 7th they captured Chocolate Hill at Yilghin Bumu in a bayonet charge.  Jack was killed this day but his body was not recovered.  He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, as well as on the Fulbeck War Memorial.

Laurence Mears from Belton was killed the same day.  Charles Saxelby (also from Belton), James Gibson from Foston and G Cutts from Bennington died 2 days later.  Arthur Kirton from Long Bennington had died at Cape Helles 10 days earlier.  All were serving with 6th Lincolnshires.   Two other local men, Frank Dove and George Hempsall died at the same time whilst serving with other regiments.

Jack’s father Richard died in 1917 and by 1919 War Office correspondence with his mother Mary was being sent via Fulbeck Rectory.

Jack’s younger brother Henry Allis joined the Royal Horse Artillery as a driver in 1915 and served in France and then Palestine.  In 1911 (aged 17) he’d been a waggoner at Copper Hill Farm, near Ancaster (along with Walter Lound).  Henry survived the war and married Ethel Wakelin in 1921.  They had 4 children but Henry died in/around Southwell in 1931 aged only 37.