COLLINS, Erskine Gilbert
| Service Number: | 2471 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 August 1915, Geelong, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Field Company Engineers |
| Born: | Geelong, Victoria, Australia, 8 May 1893 |
| Home Town: | Geelong, Greater Geelong, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Geelong College |
| Occupation: | Draughtsman |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Belgium, 1 October 1917, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Menin Road South Military Cemetery II I 24 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Geelong College WW1 Roll of Honour, Newtown All Saints Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2471, Geelong, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 2471, 2nd Field Company Engineers, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Mooltan embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 11 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sapper, 2471, 2nd Field Company Engineers, RMS Mooltan, Sydney | |
| 1 Oct 1917: | Wounded Sapper, 2471, 2nd Field Company Engineers, Polygon Wood |
Help us honour Erskine Gilbert Collins's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of William Gilbert Collins and Thomasina Maria Collins, of "Stretton," Prospect Rd., Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
PEACE PERFECT PEACE ONLY SON OF WILLIAM G. AND THOMASINA M. COLLINS
“Born on 8 May 1893, the son of William Gilbert and Thomasina Maria (Treacy) Collins of Stretton, Geelong, he came to The Geelong College in 1904 and spent 8 years there. He was a draftsman of some merit, and was studying under a local architect at the Gordon Technical College when he enlisted on 19 August 1915 and embarked with the 12th Reinforcement Group from Sydney on RMS Mooltan on 11 December 1915.
He had seen a good deal of service in France and wrote to Mr George R King, Principal of the Gordon, telling of his escape from serious injury, when wounded in both arms and one leg……”The wallet you gave me probably saved my life, for a shrapnel bullet, entering my left breast pocket was stopped by it”.
Erskine was awarded a Military Medal on 17/12/1917 for his services as a runner covering some 25 miles on seven trips between 20 and 22 September 1917, in addition to carrying water to the front, under heavy barrage fire.
Erskine died of wounds on 1 October 1917 when he was hit by a piece of shell which was burst close to him. He was hit severely on the side and rendered unconscious. He was carried to the dressing station but sank rapidly and died there. He was buried at Menin Road South Cemetery, Ypres-Grave 11.1.24.
Courtesy of Stephen Yewdall - Source Geelong Collegians WW1
The diary and memoir, of the late Sapper Erskine G. Collins, M.M., were made available by the principal of the Gordon College (Mr. G. R. King). The young soldier had a brilliant, career in the architectural profession, and his architectural descriptions, which are in the memoirs, are an outstanding feature, the head of the architectural department has had them typed and distributed as texts to students. Sapper Collins was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery in the field. The decoration was a posthumous one.
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