South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

WW1_Logo.jpeg

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Corporal 462 William COLLINS - 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

1s
Killed in Action on Thursday October 12th 1916 aged 29

Military History
     
Theatre of War Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders 1914 Star & Clasp, British War & Victory Medals Thiepval Memorial
     
Arrived in Theatre Medal Citation (if app) SWFHS Area Memorials
22 Aug 1914 at Boulogne Indian General Service Medal & NW Frontier Clasp Henley-in-Arden
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed Date and Place Mobilised Other War Memorials
Battle of the Ancre Heights (Somme)  4 Aug 1914 at Shorncliffe ~
     
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units  
Les Boeufs     
     

Previous Military Service

William enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment sometime between 1904 and October 1905 (more here) and he was serving in India in 1909.

At the outbreak of war the 1st Battalion were stationed at Shorncliffe and moblised there before moving to York and subsequently to Boulogne, France

Circumstances of Death

William is listed as being killed in action on 12 Oct 1916. The war diary entry for that day refers to Appendix I - Report of Operations which is transcribed below.

Trenches - Les Boeufs - Diary of Operations 12 -10-16

2.05pm Creeping barrage opened and Battalion doubled forward out of trenches in 4 waves - 2 Coys on 2 Platoon frontage in line and 2 Coys on 2 Platoon frontage in support. Battalion HQ about T.9.b.4.4
2.15pm It appeared from T.9.b.4.4 that a barrage was put up by the Germans in the line Les Boeufs - Morval
2.40pm M.G. Officer reported barrarge excellent and Germans running back. Companies going well
2.55pm Report came in from C.C. D Coy that the left of my left Coy hung up by the strong point. The right of the Royal Irish Fusilers failing to get forward. Sent an order to O.C. D Coys left to call on Support Company to help them and try and turn the flank of the Gun Pits from direction T.5.a.5.0
3.05pm From Batt O.P. received following: 12th Brigade appear to have got well forward owing to ground cannot see our troops. Germans get a heavy barrage up in front of Les Boeufs and Huns still sending up white rockets from here.
3.10pm Two wounded German prisoners came in, one of 82nd Regt & 164th Regt.
3.20pm 10th Infantry Brigade reported that news received Hazy Trench held by our troops.
3.30pm Sent out two runners to our front line trenches to obtain information. At 3.55pm they reported that they could only get to Sunken Road. Heavy Machine Gun fire from E of Les Boeufs direction and German barrage on Shamrock.
4.0pm News from French - Right reported reached 2nd Objective, no news from the left
4.05pm Message from French - No news of our Regiment, all wires broken. From our O.P. we saw the English troops on our left going out of their trenches very quickly, we know that the English have passed their first objective. We have seen a German Obseravation Post surrundering.
4.30pm O.C. A Coy (Right Support Coy) reports about 50 of A & C Coys dug in about T.5.t.4.9 towards gun pits. Not in touch with French and cannot see anybody on our left. At present German strong point and gun pits still held by Germans
4.57pm O.C. Royal Irish Fusiliers reports 2 platoons of his right Support Coy in Shamrock Trench with no officers and only one NCO, also about one Coy of Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
5.35pm Royal Irish Fusiliers report his right Support Coy and our left company are in Burnaby Trench and are trying to re-organise. One company Royal Dublin Fusiliers in Foggy Trench.
6.00pm R.A. Liason Officer reports that F.O.O, reports counter attack coming from direction of T.5 Central and N.35 Central. No news received from front line area.
6.05pm Royal Dublin Fusiliers report have sent one Company up to Fluff Trench
6.08pm Sent message to O.C. Front Line to hang on for all they are worth. One Coy Royal Dublin Fusiliers now coming in support to Fluffy Trench
6.10pm F.O.O. reports that Counterattack from T.5 Central at present failed.
6.45pm A runner of D Coy came in wounded and said O.C. A Coy had sent him with a message to say O.C. A Coy with some of D and some of C were digging in about 900 yards in front of our present line and the French were on the right. No written message came and he said he left just before dark and that he passed through our front line which has some Royal Dublin Fusiliers in it. The man was a bit shaken and I don't think this information is very reliable.
7.35pm Received message from Captain Irvine same as reported by Royal Irish Fusiliers at 5.35pm
7.55pm Sent up an officer with orders to Senior Officer in Front Line to re-organise and consolidate at onvce and send out patrols to ascertain if any British out in front and also to warn him an aeroplane was coming in the morning to try and locate position of troops.
  G.N.B Forster, Lieut Colonel, Commanding 1st Battalion The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
   
 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
Apr Qtr 1887 at Henley in Arden 28 Aug 1887 at Henley in Arden, St. John the Baptist
   
Parents Names Abode
George and Ann Collins High Street, Henley in Arden  
   
Wife and Marriage Details Children
Mary Collins  
   
Schools Colleges
  ~
   
Address History Employment History
1887 - High Street, Henley in Arden 1901 - Under Boy on Farm
1891 - High Street, Henley in Arden  1904 - Private in Royal Warwicshire Regiment
1901 - High Street, Henley in Arden 1911 - Private in Royal Warwicshire Regiment
1911 - Army Barracks in Bombay, India  
   
  • William's next of kin in his Register of Effects and Pension Card is a Widow Mary. We have not been able to find the marriage record
     

Back to Index