KILLED IN ACTION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2489, 16 June 1915, Page 8

KILLED IN ACTION

HON. JAMES ALLEN'S SON. Bad news "was received by the Minister of Defcnce (th© Hon. J, Allen) yesterday—that his son, Lieutenant John IJ. Allen, had been killed in action. Some weeks ago Mr. Allen received news of .his son, simply a message to say that he nas leaving England with his regiment for service abroad. Ho did not knoiv that his son had gone to the Dardanelles until he received the cablegram yesterday from the War Office to say that it was reported from Alexandria that !his son had been killed in action. In tho message Lord Kitchener expressed his sympathy. Lieutenant Allen was 25 years of age. He was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School, from which institution ho went to Cambridge, entering Jesus College in the old university. He had am exceptionally brilliant career, graduating with honours in law and economics. He was a prominent figure at the University, as shown by the fact that he held the position of president of the Union, the great debating society of Cambridge. He returned to New Zealand a little more than a year ago, and passed the New Zealand law examine tions, and then went back to England, there to qualify as a barrister at Lincoln's Inn. He had already done this, and had actually booked his passage to come home, but on the outbreak of war he cancelled it in. order to join Kitchener's Army. Mr. Alleu joined tho Inns of Court Officers' Training Corps, .from which he was transferred to the I3th Battalion of the Worcester Regiment, being subsequently promoted from the rank of second lieutenant to lieutenant. Mr. Allen became keenly, interested in Empire politics, and worked for some time with Mr. Lionel Curtis in connection with the "Bound Table" propaganda. Ail exceptionally good public speaker, and a young man of uncommon parts, he would have had a bright future ahead of him in his profession, and doubtless in public life as well.' The Hou. Mr. Allen lias receivedmany messages of sympathy from friends all over New Zealand. A motion of condolence with the Minister was passed at the meeting of the executive of the Municipal Association yesterday. At the annual meeting of tho New Zealand Club last evening sincere regret was expressed at the death of Lieut. Allen, and tho members decided to tender expressions of sympathy to the Hon. James Allen.