BARROW SALONIKA VETERAN DIES

Granted the Serbian Gold Medal, the highest award for gallantry for service in Salonika in World War 1, Mr. V.W.W. (Vic) Allonby, formerly of Askam, has died in Queen’s Park Hospital, Blackburn. He was 67. (sic)

Mr. Allonby served in France and Salonika and was badly wounded, being granted a pension for life on account of his disability. He won the Gold Medal for his gallantry in saving vital transport from falling into enemy hands.

Born at Broughton Beck, Mr. Allonby was educated at Askam Senior Council School, and after the 1914-1918 war became a prominent member of the Askam and Dalton British Legion.

He is survived by his widow and five sons. (sic)

Barrow News, 2 July 1949

Barrow News 2 July 1949 also had:

The funeral took place at Ireleth Church on Monday of Mr. V.W.W. (Vic) Allonby of Steel-street, Askam, who has died at the age of 62 years. A well-known resident, Mr. Allonby was presented with a suitably inscribed gold watch by the people of Askam after his service in the 1914-1918 war when he also won the Serbian Gold Medal. [Source 1][Source 2] He had lived all his life in the village, with the exception of three years when he was residing with a married daughter in Clayton-le-Moors.

The Rev. W. A. Chare conducted the funeral service, at which Mr. Allonby’s favourite hymn, ‘Abide with me’, was sung.

The mourners were: Mrs. A. Allonby (widow); Messrs V.W.W. Allonby, jun., and Jim, Alfred and Gordon, sons; Miss G. Allonby and Mrs. C. Long, daughters; David Allonby, grandson; Mrs. Milburn, Mrs. Simpson, Mrs. Thistlethwaite, Mrs. Harrison, sisters-in-law; Mrs. G. Fell, Mrs. C. Relph, Mrs. M. Coward, Mrs. J. Sykes, nieces; Mrs. G. Postlethwaite, Mr. and Mrs. F. White (Dalton); Mrs. A. Bolton, Mrs. R. Hobbs, Mrs Greaves, A. Chapples and Mrs. Jack Quayle.

Four sons, and Mr. and Mrs. Roger Postlethwaite and Mrs. H. Seed (Scunthorpe), were unable to attend the funeral.

The bearers were Mr. Victor W. W. Allonby jnr, Alfred Allonby (sons), George Fell, Robert Relph, Bert Varcoe and Stanley Chapples.

Amongst the many floral tributes was one from the Royal Oak Hotel, Clayton-le-Moor, where Mr. Allonby had made many friends.

Barrow News, 2 July 1949

MILLIONS of animals played a role in the First World – everything from cavalry and artillery horses, to mules and donkeys, or messenger dogs and pigeons. With the exception of a few individual animals their part in the conflict is largely anonymous but occasionally they did hit the headlines.

One case involves Askam soldier Victor William Wilson Allonby who was awarded the Serbian Medal in gold for saving a mule - and the machine gun which was strapped to its back - from a deep ravine. Corporal Allonby was number 13650 with the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and lived from 1887 to 1949.

In the 1901 census the Allonby family lived at Steel Street, Askam.

His medal award was recorded in the government’s newspaper, the London Gazette, on February 15 in 1917. The Serbian Medal, in gold or silver grades, was issued from 1913 for acts of great personal courage. It was presented to a few members of the British forces during the First World War. The medal design features the Serbian medieval knight Milos Obilic.

An article in the Barrow News noted that Pte Allonby was with a group of mules used for military transport in the area near Lake Dorian during the Salonika Campaign against Turkish forces. It noted: “There was a trying passage over the mountains in bitterly cold weather.

“Allonby was put in charge of the mules conveying the machine guns, etc, along a very narrow track about two feet wide with a drop of 300ft to 400ft down a ravine. One of the mules with the machine gun went over the side and as it was one of Allonby’s favourite mules he ‘cursed for all he was worth’. The word was passed down to leave the mule but Allonby went down the ravine although he was told he would not be seen again. He crept down the rocks on his hands and knees with shells flying from the big guns which were covering. Hearing a groan, he found the mule lying down and in his characteristic was ‘started talking to it’. With his jack knife he cut the girths, got the back saddle, put all the parts of the machine gun together and got the gun back to the top. He went back for the mule and as it could not be led, he got behind it and eventually landed it at the top, badly cut about the legs. It would have been killed but for falling on a projecting ledge.”

The major in command couldn’t believe what Allonby had achieved.

He said: “Do you mean that you have been down there for that mule and gun? If you are not telling me a lie and have done a thing like that you deserve a damn good hiding.”

It wasn’t the first time he had gone beyond the call of duty to look after his mules. In August 1916 he had been under heavy fire in a group of 22 men and 32 mules.

The article noted: “The mules broke away owing to a shell dropping at the end of the mule line. He and the other men got them in under heavy shell fire. Fred Jackson and Tom Fell were there. They are from Askam.”

Pte Allonby was recovering in a hospital at Runcorn when he found about his medal.

North West Evening Mail, 28 February 2017