COLLINS, Leslie
| Service Number: | 5995 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Warrant Officer Class 1 |
| Last Unit: | 14th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Carisbrooke, Victoria, 1888 |
| Home Town: | West Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | 25 October 1956, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne Plaque in Garden of Remembrance |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5995, 5th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Jul 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5995, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 16 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5995, 14th Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm | |
| 29 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Dec 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Apr 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 May 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 5995, 14th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second) | |
| 23 Aug 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Warrant Officer, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
| 21 Sep 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Warrant Officer Class 2, 5995, 14th Infantry Battalion, Menin Road | |
| 5 Nov 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Warrant Officer Class 1, 14th Infantry Battalion, Appointed Regimental Sergeant Major of the 14th Battalion | |
| 4 Jul 1918: | Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, Le Hamel - Blueprint for Victory, 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the period 20 February to 26 September, 1918. During the period under review he has rendered most conspicuous service on every occasion that the battalion has come into action, and owing to his administrative ability and cool gallantry under fire, the supply of ammunition forward has never failed. During the Hamel offensive his work was especially good, and on all other occasions he has also set a splendid example and rendered signal service.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 135 Date: 11 December 1919 | |
| 8 Aug 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Warrant Officer Class 1, 5995, 14th Infantry Battalion, The Battle of Amiens |
Help us honour Leslie Collins's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Ant McLean
Leslie Collins, born at Carisbrook, Victoria in 1888, was working as a labourer in Melbourne when he enlisted for service in the First World War on 17 February 1916.
After initial training at Castlemaine and Broadmeadows he was assigned as a private, with the service number 5995, to G Company, 5 Battalion AIF.
He sailed from Melbourne for overseas service aboard HMAT A32 Themistocles on 28 July 1916.
After further training in England and France Collins joined his battalion in France, only to be transferred to B Company, 14 Battalion less than two weeks later.
He served with this battalion for the remainder of the war. Collins was promoted to lance corporal on 29 October 1916, to corporal on 12 December, to temporary sergeant on 12 April 1917, company sergeant major on 23 August 1917 and finally to regimental sergeant major (warrant officer 1) at the beginning of November 1917.
Collins was twice recommended for immediate awards which were not approved - for the Military Medal at Zonnebeke in Belgium in September 1917, and for the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for actions at Vaire and Corbie in July 1918. His final recommendation for the award of a DCM was approved in September 1918 and covered actions between February and September.
Collins returned to Australia on 2 June 1919. He died in 1956.
Click images to start slideshow.