George Allen, known as Peter, was born in London in 1891. His father died when he was a young boy and his mother’s financial struggles were a significant background to Allen’s childhood. Allen entered the Royal Navy aged 12 and served in a wide range of different ships including on HMS Southampton at the Battle of Jutland during the First World War. By 1934 Allen was convinced that his active service career was finished as he had not been promoted to Captain. However, the Second World War saw him return to active service. Allen rose to the position of the senior naval officer, Commodore, at the Combined Operations Headquarters where he was involved in the planning of troop landings at Oran and Algiers, Sicily and Elba during the Second World War. After his retirement from the Royal Navy in 1947, Allen was employed by Sir Winston Churchill as a naval advisor working on Churchill’s history of the Second World War (1947-54).

In 1927 Allen married Lilian Griffin Eady (known as Lila) with whom he had three children. Their first child died in childbirth. Patrick was born in 1931 and Elizabeth in 1934. Allen settled in Surrey and held several positions on Surrey County Council. He died on 9 February 1980.