Third Engineer Officer Thompson McWhirter Allen served in the Merchant Navy during World War Two. Born on 3rd October 1911, he was the eldest son of Samuel James Allen and Hannah Jane Allen of Tullynamullen, Ballymena, Co. Antrim.
He died on 23rd February 1943 aged 31 years old on board MV Eulima. The 6,207-ton motor fuel tanker belonged to the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. The ship was part of Convoy ON 166 en route from Liverpool, England to New York, USA when attacked by U-186.
The Type IX/C40 U-Boat captained by Kapitan Leutnant Siegfried Hesemann struck around 0700hrs on 23rd February 1943. The first torpedo damaged the vessel and U-186 returned at around 1030hrs to fire a second torpedo and finish the job.
The Eulima went down north-west of the Azores. All 54 crew members and 9 gunners lost their lives as the tanker sank. Confirmation that Thompson was missing presumed killed reached Ballymena, Co. Antrim in November 1943.
Thompson McWhirter Allen has no known grave. His name is on Panel 48 of the Tower Hill Memorial, London, United Kingdom.