Name
John William Collins
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/08/1917
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
33644
East Surrey Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 34
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Stevenage Old Town Memorial, St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town, Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town
Pre War
John was born on the 19th June 1895 the son of John & Annie Collins of 48 Alleynes Road, Stevenage.
He worked as a Milk Boy for Francis Franklin of Rooks Nest Farm after leaving school and later, with his wife, Daisy and their son lived at 29 Alleynes Rd, Stevenage and later at 17, Dacre Rd, Hitchin.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Bedford and was given the Regimental Number 33644. He joined in April 1917 and was posted to the 9th Battalion of the Regiment which was in the 72nd Brigade in the 24th Division of the II Corps of the 5th Army. After brief training he was sent to France and was killed in action after initially being reported as missing at St. Julien during one of his first engagements.
Around the date of his death the Battalion was in the Ypres Salient between the Battle of Pilckem and the Battle of Langemarck. The 24th Division which was to remain on the defensive in the Bassevillebeek was not relieved during the period. Duckboards were needed to move over the area and the mud resulted in numerous drownings. On the day of his death the Germans attacked and captured Jehovah Trench in the 24th Division Sector.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 34 of the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres in Belgium.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Paul Johnson
