Sergeant William Allan

Sergeant William Allan  2nd Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was killed in action on 15 February 1944 in Burma, aged 33 and is commemorated on the  Rangoon Memorial, Burma. He had been born at Hoardweel farm, Grantshouse and was the son of Moses and Jane Allan of Coldstream Mains farm. He was the husband of Barbara Milligan Allan whom he had married in Ladykirk in 1933. William Allan was employed as a grocer in Coldstream with R. Carmichael & Sons and had served in the Territorial Army with the 4th Battalion K.O.S.B from 1930 till 1941. He had already served in France with the Second British Expeditionary Force. In 1940. He then transferred to the 2nd Battalion K.O.S.B. and was sent to Jubalapore, India before going to Burma.   He fell during the “Battle  of the Admin Box” which was fought in the Arakan area of Burma between the 6th and the 24th February 1944. The Battalion was part of the 89th Indian Brigade under Brigadier Crowther which was part of the 7th Indian Division commanded by General F. W. Messervy. The Division had been cut off by the Japanese HA-GO offensive ( intended for the invasion of India) and had formed a defensive area called the “Admin Box”  The troops were supplied from the air by the R.A.F who also fought off the Japanese Air Force. After severe fighting the Japanese were forced to call off the attacks and retreated having suffered heavy casualties. The photographs were taken during the Battle.