Name
William Henry Collins
1 February 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/12/1915
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
36279
Royal Field Artillery
76th Battery, 10th Brigade
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KUT WAR CEMETERY
O. 8.
Iraq
Headstone Inscription
REST IN THE LORD
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock
Pre War
William Henry Collins was born on 1 February 1891 in Leigh on Sea, Essex, the son of William and Isidore Isabella Collins (nee Ritchie).
His parents had married in 1889 and on 1891 Census his father was listed as a Battery Sergeant Major with the Royal Artillery and they were living at the Drop Redoubt Fort at Hougham, nr Dover, Kent. William was then two months old.
On the 1901 Census William and brothers Reginald and Cecil were living at The Bell Public House, Studham, Bedfordshire, where his father was the publican. His mother was not listed with them, but his father's wife was named as Sarah (born in Croydon, Surrey). No death record has been found for his mother Isadore, however an Isadore Ritchie (born in Leigh, Essex) was listed working as a servant at the home of Malcolm and Alice Dring in St James' Court, Westminster, London in 1901.
By the time of the 1911 Census William had enlisted with the Royal Field Artillery as a Trumpeter and was listed with the 76th Battery, stationed at Kirkee, India.
Wartime Service
He was already a serving solder at the outbreak of war, having enlisted in Dublin and joined the Royal Field Artillery. He served as a Gunner in Mesopotamia (Iraq) from 12 November 1914 with 76th Battery, 10th Brigade and took part in the Tigris campaign (Battle of Ctesiphon) in November 1915. This was followed by a prolonged siege at Kut-al-Amara and resulted in the surrender of the British force in April 1916.
William died from wounds sustained in the Tigris campaign on 28 December 1915 and is buried in Kut War Cemetery, Iraq.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £23 19s 9d. His father also received a pension of 10 shillings per week in respect of William and his brother Reginald who served with the Irish Fusiliers and died in 1918.
His father later lived at 29 Pembroke Road, Baldock, Herts.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson,
