Name
Edgar Collins
1877
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/02/1917
40
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
86028
Royal Garrison Artillery
155th Siege Bty.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TROIS ARBRES CEMETERY, STEENWERCK
I. F. 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
THE LORD HIMSELF IS THY KEEPER
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hemel Hempstead memorials, Not on the Flamstead memorials, Chislehurst War Memorial, Kent, St Nicholas Church Memorial, Chislehurst, Kent
Pre War
Edgar Collins was born in 1877 in Beechwood (believed Beechwood Park, a mansion near Flamstead), Flamstead, Herts, the only son of Albert and Julia Collins.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at Upper Lodge, Beechwood Farm, Flamstead, Herts, where his father was working as a Head Gamekeeper. By 1891 they had moved to Llantilio Pertholey, Monmouthshire and were living at the Keepers Cottage as his father was a Gamekeeper.
On the 1901 Census he was a boarder at Poplar Road, Wichenford, Worcestershire, at the home of Mark and Fanny Pugh and was working as a Gamekeeper. His place of birth was then given as Hemstead, Herts. His parents and sister Ada remained in Monmouthshire, living at Bwlch Gwym.
He was back with his parents on the 1911 Census and was living at Saltmarshe Bromyard, Worcestershire, when he and his father were Gamekeepers.
At enlistment he was working as a Gamekeeper and living at Scadbury Park, Chislehurst.
Wartime Service
He attested on 22 November 1915 at Bexley Heath, Kent and was initially put in the army reserve, being posted as Gunner on 23 May 1916 and assigned to the 155th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery on 3 June 1916. He embarked from Southampton on 29 August 1916 and arrived at Havre the following day.
He was wounded in action on 16 February 1917 from a gun shot wound to the head which caused a fractured skull and died on 17 February 1917 at the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, France, which was positioned at the railhead at Trois Arbres.
Additional Information
His sister, Miss A Collins, Rudge Hill House, Stroud, Glos., ordered his headstone inscription: "THE LORD HIMSELF IS THY KEEPER". He gave his sister, Ada Collins, as next of kin on his service record and she was living at Glenbrydan Park, Manordilo, Camarthen and later at Bourne Park, Earls Croome, nr Worcester, and Clater Lodge, Bringsty, Worcester. She received his pay owing of £1 10s 11d. N.B. The only connection to Hemel Hempstead appears to be the place of birth on the SDGW record, which is actually incorrect.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild,
