FINE OLD FIGHTING MAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19800, 22 November 1927, Page 11

FINE OLD FIGHTING MAN.

VETERAN OF MANY WARS. DEATH OF COLONEL J. B. ALLAN. [from our own correspondent. ] VANCOUVER, Oct. 19. A fine old fighting man, who had served in nearly every British campaign of th» last half-century, Colonel John Beresford Allan, passed away in Vancouver in his 90th year, after having played an important part in early Canadian military history. Born in Ireland, Colonel Allan was the son of Ensign J. B. Allan, who served in the Peninsular War, under Wellington. He came to Canada about 1850, and, at the beginning of the Civil War, he crossed the international boundary to fight under General McDowell in the northern forces. Returning to Canada, he served under Colonel Osborne Smith in the two Fenian raids of 1865 and 1870, and in the latter year took part in the Red River rebellion campaign, being attached to the forces of Colonel (afterwards Sir) Garnet Wolseley. In this campaign he was mentioned in despatches for saving the lives of 13 men from drowning. After ranching for ten years in Western Canada, Colonel Allan volunteered in 1884 and' served in the Gordon relief expedition in tha Sudan, under Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C. . On returning to Canada, he was appointed inspector of the Northwest Mounted Police, and served ir, the Kiel rebellion as chief consulting officer to the North-west Field force. He had an active part in the affair of the famous Indian chief "Almighty Voice," and was severely wounded in an attempt, to capture the rebel chief. Two years >.ater Colonel Allan went to the South African War, with the Canadian Mounted Rifles, and served until the end of the campaign. He made several efforts to be accepted iior overseas service in tho Great War, being then at the age of 77, but his services could not be availed of. Latterly he has lived in comparative retirement in Vancouver, He* was buried with full military honours, all forces and services and oversea Dominious baing represented at the funeral.