Born in Sheffield in 1894, Allen showed remarkable artistic talent from a very young age. He worked as a clerk in the steel works before enrolling in Sheffield Technical School of Art in 1912.Â
After the outbreak of WW1, Allen enlisted with the Royal Garrison Artillery of the Regular Army and in June 1916 was posted to the British Expeditionary Force in France. There he worked as assistant to the observation officer, sketching enemy equipment and locations in the field. In August 1916, he was
moved to the front line. He was badly wounded by an exploding shell and was discharged from service. In 1917, he was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry.
On his return to England, Allen continued to pursue his artistic career. He was a member of a number of artistic societies in Sheffield and exhibited regularly at The Royal Academy. He was part of the Yorkshire artists group and his style is often classified as surreal in nature.Â
Allen also made numerous works of the west of Ireland landscape, in particular around the area of Achill. He painted with tempera on board which creates a matte finish to the painting surface, flattening the forms and heightening the distinct topography of the Irish landscape.Â
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