William Dennis Allum

Story:
William Dennis Allum's birth was registered in Westbourne, Sussex, on 24th November 1896 and he was baptised at West Dean, Chichester, Sussex, on 7th January 1897, the son of William Cook Allum and Mary Ann Allum.  He lived his very early life in West Dean before moving to Cranleigh, Surrey, prior to enlistment during the First World War.   He joined the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 25825).  One of his records refers to him as a Lance Corporal but this is not reflected on his medal record.  He was discharged on 31st May 1919 and granted a limited pension due to having contracted malaria and dysentry whilst on service.  It is not known where he served but on his discharge he was awarded the Victory and British War medals.  (His address on the Absent Voters Lists of 1918 and 1919 was shown as 9 Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, and his names were reversed to 'Dennis William' but his Service No. and Unit were correct.)   He married Gladys Maud Gough at Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 18 Jun 1924 and they went on to have two children.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 41 Coppice Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, and described as a Watch and Clock Repairer.  He died in Shaftesbury on 2nd July 1951.