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Born on February 12th, 1869, in New Plymouth, New Zealand, to strict British immigrants Harold Kiva and Margaret Turner, Allen was raised as a British subject in a disciplined household. As the younger of two children, he often felt overshadowed by his older sister Anne. At fourteen, he began working in the family confectionery, though he longed for a life beyond the narrow expectations of his parents. At sixteen, a forbidden romance with a local Māori girl led to conflict with his parents, and Allen left for Australia, determined to forge his own path. In 1888, he briefly trained as a mechanic in Brisbane but soon realized that manual labor was not his calling. By saving enough money, he purchased a small plot of land in Queensland in 1889. Early drilling efforts revealed modest oil deposits, and through careful reinvestment and hiring workers, Allen gradually built a growing business. In 1890, he founded the Queensland Kiva Oil Company (QKOC). Over the next decade, he expanded exports across Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, and eventually the United States and Europe. In 1898, he married German immigrant Elizabeth Schneider and secured a contract to export oil to Germany, making QKOC one of the most internationally connected oil companies in the southern hemisphere. The birth of his son, Thomas “Teddy” Kiva, in 1904 further strengthened his resolve to protect and provide for his family. Between 1909 and 1911, several of his early oil fields dried up, costing him nearly thirty percent of his fortune. Refusing to let his empire collapse, Allen moved his headquarters to Philadelphia and focused on expanding the American market. In January 1912, he discovered twelve new oil sources in Queensland, restoring the company’s strength. That February, he traveled to England to secure a vital contract, and in April 1912, he boarded the RMS Titanic on a second-class ticket. Surviving the disaster aboard Collapsible C, he returned to Philadelphia and rebuilt his business by late 1913. The Titanic disaster profoundly affected Allen, inspiring him to pursue a medical career. Starting in 1913, he funded accelerated dental training in Philadelphia, completing his studies by 1916. Now a qualified dentist (DDS), Allen combined his meticulous attention to detail, compassion, and experience with ships to serve as a medical officer. Being a British subject, Allen volunteered directly for the British war effort in 1916. He contacted the Royal Army Medical Corps and the Royal Navy Medical Service, offering his services as a dental and medical officer. By mid-1916, Allen was assigned to the HMHS Britannic as a dental and medical officer.
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