Allison Lloyd was born in Melton on 12th December 1883 and, by 1901, he had left home to work in Hampton, Middlesex, as a “general help” for a family there. He was to return home to Melton a few years later and, on 16th July 1910, at St Mary’s Church, Worlingworth, Suffolk, he married Annie Whatling. Following which, they set up their home together in Bredfield Street, Woodbridge.

When war was declared, Allison did not join up straight away, continuing to work as a general labourer while Annie cared for their newly-born daughter. In March of 1915, Allison enlisted and joined the Suffolk Regiment for training. It was not until the following year that he was mobilised and sent to France with a draft of reinforcements for the 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment.

Throughout the summer of 1917, the Third Battle of Ypres had been raging and, at the end of September, the 2nd Suffolks were based near Ypres. On the evening of the 25th September, Allison and the battalion left their camp to the south of the town at 19:00 and passed the Menin Gate at 20:15. Guides took them as far as Hanebeck Wood, from where another group took the platoons to their assembly point. Zero hour, for what would be called the Battle of Polygon Wood, was set for 05:50 the next day.

When the time came to advance, they were shrouded in a thick mist which caused some problems. Unable to see the battalions either side of them, they advanced too quickly and were in danger of losing contact with an Australian battalion to the right and the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on their left. By 10:00 however, all the companies from the battalion had reported back that they had achieved their objectives. Over the next three days, the 2nd Suffolks continued to fight, advancing to new positions while defending against counter attacks from the German army until they were relieved on 30th September.

Once back at their camp at Vlamertinge, the officers took stock of the situation. Their casualties amounted to one officer killed and eight wounded, forty OR (Other Ranks) killed, one hundred and eighty-four wounded and twenty-five missing. Allison had been wounded during the first hours of the battle and, on 29th September, he had been admitted to the No.8 Red Cross Hospital, at Le Touquet with a gunshot wound in his chest and an eye injury.

Allison was transferred back to Britain for further treatment and, on his discharge from hospital, was posted to join the Labour Corps with whom he served until the end of the war. For his war service, Allison received the British War and Victory Medals.

In 1939, Allison and his family were living at Home Farm, Pettistree, where he was the head foreman on the farm. Allison died on 15th May 1945 and is buried at Melton Old Church