Peter, Dad, Grandad, Uncle Pete...Drummer Allen.

He was so proud of being a Grenadier Guardsman and Drummer. He enlisted as soon as he was able to do so, along with his close friends, Ron Cole and Terry Beard.

Dad saw active service in Egypt, Palestine and was in a vehicle that was ambushed in Malaysia in which five of his colleagues were killed. Dad was aged twenty and three of those who died were only 19. Following the ambush, his friend Ron Cole encouraged him to join the platoon band and he became a drummer.

He never forgot his colleagues and visited their war graves in Kuala Lumpur, with his wife Maggie (Mum) in 1992.  We have also visited, as has our daughter Grace and her husband Tom.

He was bandsman at Trooping the Colour on a few occasions and also performed at other Royal ceremonies.

Dad was on duty at Queen Elizabeth's wedding to Prince Phillip, forming a guard at Westminster Abbey for their arrival. He guarded the queen at Buckingham Palace and had to patrol on the grass outside their bedrooms, as the gravel paths disturbed them!

Dad always thought himself as lucky. Lucky to survive the ambush and also other active duty that he faced. He knew that others who were not so fortunate had a very different life and wanted to support them.

His family think that supporting ex Grenadier Guardsmen, through The Colonel's Fund, either injured on duty or who have fallen on hard times, is a great way to honour Drummer Allen. Number 2629233.