COLLINS, Francis
| Service Number: | 4348 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 14th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Yackandandah, Victoria, Australia, January 1880 |
| Home Town: | Yackandandah, Indigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Osborne's Flat State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | School Teacher (Head Teacher) |
| Died: | Prisoner of War, Main Dressing Station, Wurtemberg, San: Komp S1,France, 12 April 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Vis-En-Artois British Cemetery, Haucourt Plot XI, Row D, Grave 4 Headstone Inscription "BELOVED SON OF DENIS & ELIZA COLLINS YACKANDANDAH R.I.P.", |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Yackandandah Back Creek State School WW1 Honour Roll, Yackandandah Memorial Gates |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4348, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 4348, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 4348, 14th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Melbourne | |
| 4 Apr 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 14 May 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Sep 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Sergeant, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 6 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Apr 1917: | Involvement Sergeant, 4348, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4348 awm_unit: 14 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-04-12 |
Help us honour Francis Collins's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
Son of Denis and Eliza COLLINS. Born at Yackandandah, Victoria, Australia.
Biography contributed by Andreena Hockley
Sergeant Francis Collins, brother of Mrs. N. Bluntish, of Osborne's Flat, joined the service of the Education Department in May, 1902, being appointed junior teacher at School 1463, Osborne's Flat. Subsequently, he was head teacher at Schools 2412, Charlton West; 3145, Upper Sandy Creek: 1407, Ovens Vale: 2024, Huon: 3526, Red Bluff; and 2025, Back Creek. He is recorded as a very good, efficient teacher, who took very great interest in his work.
He enlisted on the 19th of July, 1915, and embarked with the 13th Reinforcements to the 14th Battalion.
He joined his unit in Egypt on the 2nd of April, 1916, and, after training there for some time, proceeded with it to France. He was promoted Corporal on the 14th of August, and Sergeant on the 1st of November. He died on the 12th of April, 1917, whilst a prisoner of war in Germany.
Prior to enlisting, he was teaching at School No. 2025, Back Creek.
Source: The Education Department's Record of War Service, Victoria, 1914-1919.
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