Career
He was credited with ten confirmed victories while serving as an observer/gunner in Bristol F.2 Fighters. On 5 April 1917, after being assigned to 48 Squadron in France, he scored his first aerial victory while crewed with pilot Captain Alan Wilkinson in a Bristol F.2a Fighter. On 9 April, Allen and Wilkinson shared two more victories with Captain John Letts and his observer.
On 11 April 1917, Second Lieutenant Allen was officially seconded to the Royal Flying Corps.
By the end of Bloody April, Allen"s score had reached seven. He would score twice in May while being piloted by Letts, being wounded in action on 24 May 1917 while downing his ninth foe.
He would score once more, on 16 June 1917. His final tally included: an Albatros Doctorate.III destroyed singlehanded.
Two more Doctorate.IIIs destroyed in victories shared with other aircrews.
A two-seater reconnaissance plane and four Doctorate.IIIs singlehandedly driven down out of control. Two Albatros Doctorate.IIIs driven down and shared with other aircrews. Allen was transferred to the Class A Reserves of the Royal Air Force on 1 September 1922.
On 17 February 1926, he was slightly injured in the crash of Wolf northern
G-EDHJ at Whitby Aerodrome. On 30 March, he transferred into the Class C Reserves.
On 1 September 1926, Flying Officer Laurence Wilfred Allen completed his military service and gave up his commission. He died in 1968 in Coventry.
