JOHN COLLINS

JOHN COLLINS

Private 7029

1st Battalion Sherwood Forester Regiment 

Killed in action - 31st July 1917

John Collins was the first born child of Thomas and Margaret Collins.  He was born in 1884 at New Whittington.  His father Thomas hailed from Ireland, he married Margaret Flynn in 1882 and set up home in New Whittington where Thomas worked as a coke burner.

In 1891 the family lived in Crown Yard and had grown in numbers, John had a brother named Edward and two sisters Margaret and May. Over the next ten years more children were born to the Collins family; Tom jnr, Stephen, Ellen and Annie.  Perhaps due to its growing size the family had moved to live at 118 High Street, New Whittington. John was 16 years of age and worked as a colliery pony driver, he would contribute his small wages to the family and help clothe and feed his siblings.  

A change in direction for John....

Tragedy struck for the Collins family when in the July of 1900 John's younger brother, 14 year old Edward was killed in an accident whilst working underground at the Seymour Colliery.  The Derbyshire Times covered the story stating that Edward was found already deceased under one of the loading tubs which must have come uncoupled from its pully. 

To lose a young brother in such sad circumstances may have played a pivotal role in John's next decision, he decided to broaden his horizons and joined the local Militia Regiment.

On 8th July 1901 he enlisted with the 3rd Derby Regiment (Sherwood Foresters).  He was aged 18 years and 2 months old, had blue eyes and a "fresh complexion" stood at 5ft 6" tall and weighed 122lbs.  John signed up for 6 years service and was given the soldier number Private 8430.  The Militia was a voluntary regiment tied alongside the regular army.  John would undertake training and be ready to be called up should the nation need extra reinforcements.

Everyday life in New Whittington....

The Collins family grew in numbers even more; Agnes, William and Elizabeth were to make the Collins family complete.  Once again they moved house, just along the street to number 52 High Street.  

On the 1911 census John was employed underground at the coal mines. He was 26 years old and still unmarried.  His youngest sister was 1 year old and the Collins family of ten people lived in a large property for the times, a five roomed house. 

John's war....

As John was listed as a reserve soldier he was called into service at the outbreak of war in August 1914.  He was attached to the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters and given the new regimental number of Private 7029.  John was drafted to Sunderland to work as a signal instructor, where he remained for the first two years of the war.  

Signal Station - using daylight lamp
via National Library of Scotland

The war which was supposed to be over by Christmas was dragging on, more civilians were enlisting and John would have a busy time teaching the new recruits army life and the art of the use of signals in warfare. Various methods were used to transmit a signal when on the battlefield; lights, mirrors, flags, whistles could all be used to send a special message in Morse code and where possible cables could be used to pass the signal to the receiver.  John held the knowledge and skill to perform this task and his contribution to the war effort would have been priceless.

John joined the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F) sometime around the early autumn of 1916.  The slaughter of thousands of troops during the Somme offensive had taken its toll on our British troops and reinforcements were badly needed.  Many of the men who had been regular soldiers had already been killed or injured by now and John had some experience in warfare, but alas not the type of warfare WW1 had engineered.

During the month of July 1916 the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters recorded the following numbers of casualties;

Officers - killed 5, wounded 13

Other ranks - killed 51, wounded 257, missing 6

In the August of 1916 the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters were basking in hot temperatures, moving around the Bethune area in northern France.  The battalion spent the next months carrying out orders, maintaining equipment and taking their turn at manning the trenches.  In the October of 1916 an unusual occurrence was noted when having bombarded the enemy with heavy gun fire they were surprised when "a man approached the HQ sentry, when challenged and told to surrender he ran away, he was at once fired on and wounded and brought in".  The man was interrogated in the German language but appeared confused, it was as "he used the word "RUSSRI" that they understood that the man was a Russian prisoner of war.  The war diary states "his delight on falling into English hands knew no bounds".

The month of October 1916 was also one of tremendous difficulties for the battalion; the men were called upon to do a 24 day tour of the trenches, they had no relief at all in those 24 days and were subject to heavy trench mortar attack "which has the most demoralising effect upon the best trained troops".  The battalion was also ordered to carry out three attacks on enemy trenches, one being particulary difficult as gas weapons were used.  There was a short rest period of two days and then the men were sent back to the Somme where they had already seen active duty.  The men were continually under attack but despite of all this "it was remarkable how the morale of the troops was upheld throughout the whole tour of duty".

Rest & Relaxation....

During December 1916 the battalion appear to have taken things much easier.  The month comprised of training classes, football matches, route marching contests and boxing championships.  On Christmas Eve the battalion took part in the Divisional Cross Country championships; each team had 6 men and they ran a course of 6 miles.  The 1st Sherwood's came a respectable 2nd to the 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment.

Christmas was spent at Selincourt "full opportunity was taken to give the men as happy an Xmas as possible".  John was many miles away from his loved ones but we can hope that he felt some peace and happiness at this 1916 yuletide.  Gifts were received from several newspaper company charitable collections, including the "Derbyshire Times Fund".  By New Years Eve the men had moved on once more and found themselves back on the Somme at Albert.  The war diary notes that only 3 other ranks were wounded, none were killed during the month of December 1916.  One of the wounded was however self inflicted, a Christmas away from family had proved to much for one poor soul.

A new year, 1917....

1917 started sedately, cleaning the camp, renovating the duckboards, followed by bomb classes.  The first months were very cold, snow fell and in early February the men were in the trenches when it was so cold "the battalion experienced the hardest frost it had ever known.....The water supply was seriously hampered, fires having to be lit under water taps & ice continuously broken in the tubs".  "In one shell hole the ice was found to be 6 feet thick & the frost had penetrated to a depth of 8 feet into the ground".

The months of March and April saw the battalion carry out some fierce fighting, snow was still falling in the middle of April but by the end of the month the weather was very hot.  

In June 1917 the men found themselves moving away from the familiar territory of the Somme across the French/Belgium border, on 15th June they arrived in Ypres.  That same night the "the whole of battalion provided a working party for laying a cable under divisional signal offices"; a job that would may well have involved John and his knowledge of the signaling equipment. 

The camp at Ypres came under heavy enemy shelling and so on 21st June it was moved to Linde Goed Farm near Busseboom.  The battalion were marched from camp to camp in July, being shelled and attacked by the enemy as they went forth.  In mid July they were in billets at Beaumetz Les Aire, where they began instruction and practice in attack, including lectures on bayonet fighting.  

On 18th July Sir Douglas Haigh was present and watched the operations, the battalion must have been aware that there was an air of impending action about to come their way.  Morale would be boosted and spirits would no doubt be high as the men trained to their best abilities for the fight of their lives.  The Officers and N.C.O's were all shown a large picture  map of the land which was to be their future battlefield, possible concerns were discussed at length between the Officers.

On 21st July the training was over and the men were route marched to St Hillaire and then on to Liller where they entrained to Abeele.  From there the battalion were billeted and slept under canvas at Reninghelst. The coming days were spent in preparation; Officers had more meetings, they even had a group photograph taken. The ordinary ranks were now also sent along to view the large picture map.  A service was held which was officiated by the Arch Bishop of York, the men's spiritual well being was most important for morale. During the evenings men carried the gas shells up onto the waiting positions in anticipation for coming events.  The weather was fine.

On the evening of 24th July John and his comrades marched to Halifax Camp.  The weather changed, it was a very wet day.  The men were given a special treat when the 17th Battalion Sherwood Foresters came to join them for tea on 25th July.  A fellow New Whittington lad named David Cresswell was serving with the 17th Battalion, maybe the men met up for a few words and exchange of family news that night?

During the next couple of days more equipment was issued to the men, the large map was revisited and lectures were given.  On one evening several of the men from each corps were taken and questioned by the C.O.  The men must be fully knowledgeable on the lay of the land and the instructions for the upcoming attack.

At 9.30pm on the night of 28th July 1917 the battalion set of, leaving the camp to a position known as "Halfway House".  Each company set off 200 yards behind the preceeding company.  The men marched into the night and into the unknown.  The journey was a hot one, the weather was fine, enemy fire was constant and gas shells were also used upon the battalion.  Once at the dugout they shared this position with the Scottish Rifle Brigade, however the area was too crowded and the Sherwood Foresters split away from each other by company into different areas. 

The day of the 30th July was spent resting, around 10pm that night the battalion's companies rejoined in the assembly trenches, in their positions just behind the Northamptonshire Regiment.  They then waited "for Zero hour the following morning".  Each man no doubt in his own place for those final hours, thinking of the past and trying so hard not to think of his future and the fate that was to follow.

Zero day....

31st July 1917 the war diary reads; 

"This was Zero Day.  The hour for the attack was 3.50am.  The barrage started at 3.50am and the attack commenced at 4am.  The Battalion moved forward in artillery formation and passed on the right (sic) BELLEWAARDE LAKE to their forming up position, under cover of the ridge".

John was killed in action on 31st July 1917, the day which would signify the first day of the bloody, muddy battle known as Passchendaele.  

The CWGC list that 80 members of the 1st Battalion Sherwood Forester Regiment lost their lives on that same day.

John Collins was buried at the Menin Gate South Military Cemetery, Belgium; grave reference ii. E. 2. His grave is marked simply with the sign of the cross, no other inscriptions were added by John's family.

Private 7029 John Collins was awarded the Victory and British Medals for his service.

John was remembered in the Derbyshire Times 25th August 1917 page 4, along with a photograph the obituary read....

"News reached New Whittington a fortnight ago that Pte. John

Collins, Notts & Derbys, had "gone under".

A soldier writing home to his wife, said Collins was killed,

but his mother who resides in Crown Yard, 

never gave up hopes of hearing from him 

until the official word came last Wednesday, 

saying he had died of wounds.

Pte. John Collins had served eight years in the Army 

and four years in the Reserve when the war broke out

and the call came for Reservists and Volunteers.

He was called up on August 5th, 1914, and was 

drafted to Sunderland as a signal instructor, where

he stayed two years, when he volunteered for France,

having been there almost 12 months when the dreaded

message came.  He was 33 years of age and worked at

Markham No1 Colliery before being called up.

Great sympathy is felt for his widowed mother,

who has two more sons on active service"

Life went on....

Thomas & Margaret Collins - John's parents.  Thomas had died on 28th October 1916.  Margaret stayed in New Whittington the newspaper article stated she now lived on Crown Yard with her children.  She died on 1st June 1941 and is buried alongside her husband at St Bartholomew's Church, New Whittington.

Margaret married Irish born Michael Collins in 1909, they had five children; Thomas, Michael, Edward, John and Mary.  She remained in New Whittington and died in 1972.

Tom married Catherine Leeson in 1915. Catherine was the sister of John Patrick Leeson, the soldier who is also named on St Barnabas Memorial and died on 31st July 1917.  The couple had a son named Patrick in 1916.  Sadly in 1918 Catherine passed away aged just 30 years old.  It looks likely that she died due to complications of child birth as a daughter was born that same time, named Kathleen *this has not been confirmed by the registration certificate.  Tom died in 1952.

Stephen married Agnes Gregory in 1925.  They had at least two daughters; Margaret and Hazel and possibly a third child.  They lived on John Street in Brimington and Stephen worked as a builders labourer. He died in 1959 aged 63 years old.

Annie may have remained a spinster.  In 1939 she was working as a grocery shop assistant (possibly alongside her brother William).  If she did not marry then she may have lived in Hasland and died in 1991 aged 90 years old.

William died in 1941 aged just 33 years old.  His obituary states that he worked as manager of Messrs Hunters grocery shop in Brimington.  

I am not sure at this stage what became of John's siblings; May, Ellen, Agnes and Elizabeth.  If anyone can help with information please let me know.

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For service on the dates of 31st July and 1st August 1917 the 1st Battalion Sherwood Forester Regiment awarded 14 members of the Non Commissioned Officers and Men the Military Medal for their "Gallantry and devotion to duty during operations near Ypres".  Also awarded were -

2 x Distinguished Service Orders

1 x Bar to the Military Cross

5 x Military Cross

8 x Distinguished Conduct Medals

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If you may be connected to this family or have any further information on John Collins or his family please do either leave comments via the pen icon below or drop me an email.

I hope that I have not given details of living persons, if so please advise and I will remove immediately.

Please note all information has been taken from online indexes and sources.  Due to the sheer numbers of people to be researched I am unable to purchase vital event certificates to confirm my research.

*****

Ref and further reading  -

Census

Parish registers
Medal rolls
Soldiers who died in the Great war

Register of soldiers effects
Service record - www.fmp.co.uk

Newspaper articles - 
                               - Derbyshire Times 25th August 1917 page 4

CWGC  http://www.cwgc.org

War diaries - Piece WO 1721/1-4

Signaling during WW1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/0/ww1/25401271
                                      http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/wr.php?main=inc/signaller_ww1

Arthur Wedgwood ~ Boy Soldier

 

Hidden away in St Barnabas Church at New Whittington, Chesterfield on the side of the organ is a memorial to honour the fallen men of the village in both World War’s.  Arthur Wedgwood, my grandfather’s Uncle Arthur is amongst the 85 names on the memorial from World War 1.

 

Arthur (sitting) and his elder brother
Ernest Wedgwood

Arthur was the son of William and Emma Wedgwood.  He was born on 23^rd March 1898 at 19 Midland Terrace, Barrow Hill.  He was their fourth and last child; Arthur had a sister Maud and a brother Ernest.  Arthur was named after an elder brother Arthur Robert who had sadly died as a baby in 1895.  Arthur’s father William worked for the Midland Railway as a goods guard and the family continued to live at 19 Midland Terrace, Barrow Hill until around the time of the Great War. 

 

On the 1911 census just three years before the war began, Arthur is recorded as being 13 years old and still at school.  He attended Barrow Hill infant’s school which was built in 1898 for 230 children.  The school was just a short walk from the terraces of Barrow Hill, alongside the railway embankments.  William must have received a reasonable education as his letters that he wrote in his teens are neatly written and grammatical. On leaving school Arthur gained employment at the Old Foundry working for Staveley Coal and Iron Company Ltd.

 

England’s declaration of War against Germany on 4^th August 1914 was to change the lives of the Wedgwood family forever.  At the time Arthur was just 16 years of age, too young to join up.  Chesterfield was embracing the patriotic fervour which swept over England, encouraging men to volunteer to serve King and Country, in the war which would be over by Christmas.  The Derbyshire Times included articles from soldiers already serving, telling of their adventures.  An article on 7^th November 1914 from the 12^th Cavalry Boys 18^th Hussars stated “it will not do them any harm, to enlist, even if they do not get to the front.  They will learn much and it will do them the power of good”.  Another similar account from Private William Johnson under the heading “Wounded but happy” recalled details of a letter William had written to his mother on 27^th October 1914, in it he wrote “The Germans are very good to us, and we are getting very good food, so we are quite happy”. 

 

On 30th October 1914 a “Great Meeting” was called at the Skating Rink in Chesterfield to appeal for recruits.  Lord Charles Beresford was the host, retorting “an appeal to the men of Chesterfield and district to rally to the countries call for men”.  He went on to state “the need is great, the issues enormous, the very existence of the Empire and the safety of our kith and kin, of ourselves in fact”.  The meeting was well attended by both men and women, concluding with Bryan Donkin’s Orchestra providing the music for a rousing chorus of "God Save Our King".  There is no wonder that in the week preceding the 14^th November 1914, Chesterfield was proudly announcing that the town had 130 new recruits volunteered to the British Expeditionary Force. 

 

Arthur, his friends and work colleagues probably attended this meeting and the subject was sure to be the topic of conversation all around Chesterfield.  He is said to have wanted to volunteer because his friends were and he didn’t want to be left out.  Honourable and very naïve intentions, I am sure ones which Arthur probably had time to consider when he was stationed in the muddy, rat and flea infested trenches in the months to come.

Unfortunately for Arthur the minimum age for enlistment was 18 years to serve in the United Kingdom and 19 years to serve abroad (1).  Arthur was two years too young even for enlistment for home service.  He must have thought his prayers had been answered, when in November 1914 a recruiting party visited Chesterfield from the 3^rd Battalion Training Company of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, none of the officers would know who Arthur was; unlike the local recruitment officers who may well have known Arthur or his family. 

 

And so, in November 1914 Arthur told his lie about his age, they did not require a birth certificate for proof, Arthur must have looked older than his years.   Family story says that his poor mother was beside herself and went to the Officers to demand they refuse Arthur’s enlistment as he was only 16, but alas he was readily accepted into the grown up world of warfare.  It is not known exactly how many under age men enlisted into World War 1, but the numbers were high.  They became known as “Boy Soldiers”.  At the Battle of Loos, of the 50,000 casualties and wounded 3,600 are known to have been under 19 years of age.

 

Arthur Wedgwood - Private 15894
1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers

Arthur was sent to Scotland to undertake his basic training.  The 1^st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers trained at Fort Matilda, which was west of Glasgow and near to Greenock.  The camp was situated in a large area around the railway station and comprised of tents and huts.  One thing that is for sure, it would have been mighty cold in the winter months of 1914/1915 when Arthur was there.   

Arthur wrote to his cousin Irene from the training camp and the letters still exist.  He told of the time a Corporal from his Battalion fell from a train and died, Arthur and five other men transported the Corporal back home to Edinburgh.  He described how the mother “nearly went mad” on seeing her dead son, this must have struck a cord with Arthur and how his own mother Emma would react if the same happened to him.  There is also mention of a sweetheart of Arthur’s; he sends the message “just remember me to the Misses Johnson's next time you see them and tell Edie it’s a long time since I kissed her, but I hope it won’t be the last”.  In January 1915 he tells Irene that it is said that they will be going to France on 24^th February, but not to tell his parents or they will only bother about him.  By now he must be getting some idea of the horrors that he is about to face as he mentions other men; a “chap named Shully, that listed with me is killed” and writes how “it’s a bad job for Cecil Wilson, I feel sorry for his parents”.   The statement which is most telling is “the English have been ordered to kill the Germans and take no prisoners, because they have been killing wounded men”.  This prospect must have surely scared a young lad half to death no matter how grown up he pretends to be.  A stark contrast to the local newspaper's article’s reporting positive accounts of the war.

 

Arthur saw active service in the Flanders theatre of war, around the Ypres area in Belgium which was the scene of heavy bombardment on both sides and many losses were sadly reported on a day to day basis within the battalion’s war diaries.  Arthur and his comrades in the 1^st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers were part of the 9^th Brigade, 3^rd Division Infantry Unit.  In letters home he told how he had been in the trenches for 20 days and nights before being relieved.  He also mentioned one battle where they went into combat 900 men strong but only 130 returned to answer the roll call. 
 

On 22^nd April 1915 Chlorine gas was first used by the Germans during the 2nd Battle of Ypres.  Even if Arthur did not witness this, the trenches would have been buzzing with talk of its terrible effects, how in the evening of the 22^nd a strange yellow/green coloured cloud was drifting towards the French and Algerian troops on the front line.  The chlorine gas would attack the respiratory tract within seconds of inhalation, causing choking and respiratory difficulties which were often fatal.(2)

 

During the month of June the Battalion were in the trenches at Bellewaarde.  On 15^th June they were given their orders to take part in the first phase of attack in the first Battle of Bellewaarde.  They were to gain the German front line trenches as far as Railway Wood. By midnight the battalion; 18 officers and 839 men were assembled in the trenches.  At 2.50am on 16^th June their trenches were slightly damaged by the Germans bombardment, but by 4.50am the attack had ceased and the battalion was able to advance and win their objectives of the front line trenches.  Unfortunately, this victory was short lived as their being unsupported by extra troops at 6.30am they were forced to retire along the same route back to their original trenches.   Continuous shell fire lasted all day from both sides and heavy losses were incurred – 36 men were killed, 199 men wounded and 202 men were reported missing in action.  This battle may well have been the battle that Arthur mentioned in his letters home.
 

Arthur's Rosary Beads

 

 

As if the first Battle of Bellewaarde was not horrific enough for Arthur and his comrades, orders were again received for a second attack on Bellewaarde.  The purpose of this attack however was diversionary to occupy and distract the German Armies in and around Ypres and leave them off guard for a further attack later that day – the Battle of Loos.  On 25^th September at 3.00am Arthur and his friends and comrades led the attack and began an artillery bombardment against the enemy.  By 4.20am the platoons were advancing every 5 minutes, but by this time the Germans were returning with heavy bombardment and there were heavy casualties on the battalion’s side.  At 6.23am it was reported that the enemy’s bombardment was less severe and by 7.00am the men had captured their position and were now under severe shell attack and bombing.  Unfortunately, by 1.20pm the men could hold their newly captured position no more and were forced, along with the 4^th Gordons to evacuate enemy trenches and fall back.  After a day of long bombing combat the 1^st Royal Scots Fusiliers “held their own till the very last and not until the men on their flanks had been forced back had they retired”.  Two days later General Allenby was to congratulate the men on taking one of the strongest positions on the enemy lines, “they had stuck at it through an inferno of machine gun, bomb and shell fire in a way that would have been a credit to any regiment”.

 

For the 1^st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers the 2^nd Battle of Bellewaarde was in fact another mass slaughter of its selfless, brave soldiers – 3 officers were killed, 1 was missing, and 6 were wounded.  Of the other ranks – 30 men were killed, 161 were missing and 120 were wounded.

Sadly Arthur was one of the men who sacrificed his young life to fight for King and Country at the 2^nd Battle of Bellewaarde.  It is most probable that he was one of the 161 men who were reported missing in action on that fateful day of 25^th September 1915, there is no known grave to mark his death.  Arthur was killed in action aged just 17 1/2 years old; six months too young to legally join the British Army.

 




Menin Gate, Ypres where Arthur is remembered



 

Back in Chesterfield news was soon heard regarding the death of Arthur, although it does seem that there was some confusion as Arthur’s family were told different accounts of his whereabouts.  A letter from a Private Charles Wardell of the same regiment had told that “young Wedgwood had gone under” but confirmation from the War Office was not received by William and Emma Wedgwood until the following month.  The Derbyshire Times Obituary dated 23^rd October 1915, states incorrectly that Arthur was killed at the Battle of Loos in France.  It also includes a photo of “boy soldier” Arthur proudly wearing his Royal Scots Fusilier’s cap at its jaunty angle.  The family now lived at 222 South Street, New Whittington, Chesterfield.

The death must have affected the family very badly, Emma is said to have been mortified and never really recovered from the shock.  She died on 24^th June 1922 of liver cancer.  William remarried shortly after in 1923.  Arthur’s elder brother Ernest joined the Sherwood Foresters Regiment to seek revenge on the Germans that took his young brothers life so tragically.  His sister Maud was married and had three young sons by now, her fourth son who was born on 17th July 1916 was named after his heroic Uncle Arthur.  Maud kept photos of her beloved brother and even has a post card of the memorial in the Church at New Whittington, a testament I believe to the love and sadness the family held for their beloved “boy soldier” young Arthur Wedgwood. 

 

The Royal Scots Fusiliers named on the Menin
Gate memorial -
Arthur is on the right hand side

 

Arthur received the Victory medal, British medal and 15 Star for his bravery and sacrifice.  He is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres alongside the many thousands who also gave their lives in the Great War.  At 8pm every night of the year the Menin Road is closed to traffic and the Ypres Fire Brigade play the Last Post to honour these men.  I have had the honour of visiting the memorial and paying my respects to my Great Great Uncle Arthur Wedgwood, Private 15894, Boy Soldier.

 

 

Ref -
(1) http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/boy_soldiers.htm

(2) http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWchlorine.htm

Further reading -

http://www.bellewaarde1915.co.uk/
 

Sources -

 

1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers Regimental War Diaries

Regimental History of the Royal Scots Fusiliers - John Buchan

Commonwealth War Grave Commission

Derbyshire Times Newspaper

Family papers and letters

GRO Birth & Death certificates

Medal Rolls World War 1