Updated info on Sydney Allcock - Unity Street Carrickfergus - LOL 553 - R.G.A

NAME; Allcock, Sydney

RANK; Gunner

SERV. NO; 8673

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Garrison Artillery

REGIMENT; 19th Heavy Battery

BORN; Newport, Isle of Wight 1888

LIVED; Unity Street, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Carrickfergus

FATE; Killed in Action – France and Flanders 19^th October 1917 aged 29

CEMETERY; Canada Farm Cemetery – Belgium - III E. 3

CHURCH; St Nicholas Church of Ireland, Carrickfergus

MEMORIAL; St Nicholas Church of Ireland

REMARKS; Sydney Allcock was born in Newport Isle of Wight in 1888, son of Mr & Mrs. Mortimer Allcock, he moved to Ireland with his family in the late 1800's.  By 1914 he was living in 16 Unity Street Carrickfergus and was married to Jessie Allcock with 3 sons.  He was an active member of the Albert Road Loyal Orange Lodge 553 and part of the St Nicholas Church of Ireland Congregation.  Sydney was killed in action in the Ypres area of Belgium during the 3rd Ypres Campaign Battle of Passchendaele.  He is buried in Canada Farm Cemetery along with 906 other British and Canadian Great War soldiers.  The cemetery took its name from a farmhouse used as a dressing station during the 1917 Allied offensive on this front. Most of the burials are of men who died at the dressing station between June and October 1917. News of his death in 1917 was reported with great sadness in the Carrickfergus Advertiser noting that "great lose is felt with at the death of Gunner S Allcock... he was well known to many locally and will be sadly missed".  

Following a telegram confirming his death his widow Jessie received the following letter from Rev H A Norton, chaplain to the Forces: 

Dear Mrs Allcock – “It is my painful duty to inform you of the death of you dear husband, Gunner Allcock.  On Friday 19^th October his battery position was heavily shelled by the enemy.  Allcock with others took cover in a small shelter.  A shell exploded nearby and as a result of the violent concussion and rain of splinters he and seven of his comrades were killed whilst three others were wounded.  This is a sad story of an exceptional occurrence. It is not often so many are killed by one shell.  The happening has cast quite a gloom over the men and their hearts were sad when they attended the funeral on Saturday afternoon.