Name
Arthur Frederick Collis
1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/02/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
803
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
SAILLY-SUR-LA-LYS CHURCHYARD
C. 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead, Crondall Memorial Cross, Crondall, Hants
Pre War
Arthur Frederick Collis was born in Well, Long Sutton, Hampshire in 1891, the only son of Frederick and Annie Collis and one of five children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in Long Sutton Street, Long Sutton, Hampshire where his father was a farm labourer. By 1911 they had moved to Johnathan's Kilns, Crondall, Farnham, Surrey, at which time Arthur was working as a Farm Waggoner like his father.
(His father's address on pension records is 38 Herbert Street, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. This was also his Aunt Selina's address. She had married John Millman in Hemel Hempstead in 1901.)
Wartime Service
He attested on 10 September 1914 at Camberley, Surrey and served with the 2nd Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment (Reg. No. G/803) in France from 11 November 1914. He was initially in trenches or billets behind the front line but moved to La Toulette near Armentieres in late January where the Battalion was subject to constant German sniper fire.
He died of wounds in France on 2 February 1915, possibly as a result of the sniper fire or high explosive shells dropped by the Germans the previous day, and is buried at Sailly-sur-la-Lys Churchyard.
(N.B. His service no. 803 is often prefixed with G/ which indicates that he was a recruit joining up for wartime service only).
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £5 10s 6d. He also received a pension of 3s 6d a week.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www/hemelatwar.org., www.surreycc.gov.uk., www.hemelheroes.com
