Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Born: 20th February 1914.
Story
Allan was the son of Richard Pickard (1886-1964) and Florence Parker (1894-1970), who married in Kippax on 10th May 1913. Before the War, the family lived at 3 Sandgate Terrace, but Allan had married Mary Todd in 1937, and the couple had moved to 12 Hollis Row, where Allan was working as a cutter for Burton’s Ltd., Leeds.
At the start of the War, Allan served in the Home Guard, and was particularly active on the social scene. He enlisted as a Private with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and it was reported on 4th September 1942 that he had been written back home from Burma, India to let Mary know he had been promoted to Sergeant. His promotion was described as ‘unusually rapid.’
On 14th April 1944, Allan was still serving in Burma, at the border, when it was reported that a much older battle had broken out amongst his troops. As he was in command of a number of Lancastrians and Yorkshiremen, they had taken to discussing the sporting merits of their respective counties with the same vigour as the Houses of York and Lancaster did at Bosworth in 1485 and the War of the Roses. Allan wrote home to say that although his charges were known to “go to it” there was nothing to worry about, as “we always finish up with a little celebration.”
After the War, Allan played for the ex-servicemen’s football team, and lived at Mount Pleasant. He was living at 33 Rosewood Avenue when he passed away on 27th September 1995. Allan’s wife Mary passed away in 1990.
Kippax Roll of Honour 