COLLIN, Sydney Charles
| Service Number: | 463 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 July 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Clare, South Australia, April 1894 |
| Home Town: | Clare, Clare and Gilbert Valleys, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 463, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 463, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 463, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide | |
| 11 Sep 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 463, 32nd Infantry Battalion, GSW (right arm) | |
| 21 Jun 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 463, 32nd Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Charlotte Lehmann
Sydney Charles Collin was born in Clare in South Australia as a natural born British Subject. His father was Charles Collin. Sydney was classified as a Roman Catholic. At 21 years of age, Sydney stood at 5 feet and 10 ½ inches, he had hazel eyes with a medium complexion and dark hair. He had a job as a labourer and was single.
On the 5th July 1915, at 21 years and 3 months old, Sydney enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force, at Keswick in South Australia. Sydney became a Private with the 32nd Infantry Battalion on the 16th August 1915. Sydney’s embarkation date was on the 18th November 1915, he boarded HMAT A2 Geelong in Adelaide.
On the 2nd October 1916, Sydney was admitted to the County of Middlesex War Hospital with a gun shot wound to his right arm. He was then transferred to the 2nd Auxiliary Hospital on the 9th November 1916 before being discharged to Weymouth on the 20th November 1916. On the 23rd January 1917 Sydney was transferred back to France and was reunited with the unit on the 16th February 1917.
Throughout his time with the Australian Imperial Forces, Sydney also suffered from illness. On 23rd February 1916, Sydney’s father received a letter informing him that on the 14th February 1916, Sydney had been admitted to the Fourth Auxiliary Hospital in Cairo for Meningitis. Sydney was able to re-join his unit on the 21st March 1916. He was then admitted to the Military hospital on the 8th September 1917 for Varicose Veins in his left leg, re-joining the unit on the 14th February 1918. On the 4th March 1918, Sydney fractured his fibula in his left leg and was admitted to the General Military Hospital, Colchester, England. After recovering, he was able to re-join battle on the 30th October 1918.
Sydney returned to Australia on the 21st of March 1919, he disembarked on the 7th May 1919 and was discharged on the 21st June 1919. Sydney served the Australian Imperial Forces for a total of 3 years and 352 days with 3 years and 171 days being served overseas. He can be found on the Embarkation Roll and the Nominal Roll at the Australian War Memorial. It is also mentioned he was given the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
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