Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 20B GQS | |
| 2. Memorial: | Liverpool Masonic Hall War Memorial | Col.1. Hope St. | |
| 3. Grave: | Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte | II. B. 32. | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Early Life :
The majority of this legend is courtesy of Geoff Cuthill of the Province of West Lancashire, to whom the project is grateful.John was born in Toxteth Park, Liverpool on 31st July, 1878, the son of John Scott Collins and Isabella Collins (nee Whiteside), who had married in 1877. He was baptised at St Barnabas Church on 21 August 1878, his father described as a sail maker with the family residence as 10 Fern Hill Street.James was one of five children, and was given the name of his father, and an elder brother who although born in 1878 died at a young age. The eldest surviving child was Frederick George, then Andrew Scott, John and finally James A McQ Collins born 1890. In 1891 the family are on the census return at 24 Cawdor Street, Toxteth Park, and at 151 Harrrowby Street for 1901 and 1911.
Younger brother James Alexander McQ Collins was suffering from pneumonia and heart failure while serving as a Steward aboard the Elder Dempster vessel SS Prahsu. He took ill at sea and was discharges at Tenerife on 2 May 1915 to the Queen Victoria Hospital for Seamen at Las Palmas and died the following day. He was 25 years of age, and his home address was given as 26 Wandsworth Street, Liverpool.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 187th (Special) Company, Royal Engineers |
| Action : France & Flanders |
France & Flanders covers all the dates and corresponding locations which are outside the official battle nomenclature dates on the Western Front. Therefore the actions in which these men died could be considered 'normal' trench duty - the daily attrition losses which were an everyday fact of duty on the Western Front.
Detail :
John, who had enlisted at Liverpool would serve as Sapper, No. 158966, in the Royal Engineers, with 87th Field Company, as part of 12 (Eastern Division) when he died of wounds on Thursday 26 October 1916, age 29 at 34 Casualty Clearing Station (1st West Lancashire). He is buried in Grave II. B. 32. Grove Town Cemetery. Meaulte, Somme, France.
He was awarded the British War and Victory medals. His brother Frederick, a police officer previously, who had gone to France on 7 November 1915 as 24439 with the 20 Bn Liverpool Regiment died of wounds on 23 May 1918 serving as Company Sergeant Major 60670 with the 16 Bn Manchester Regiment, also having served as No 4042 with the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
The Liverpool Echo of 1st November, 1916 reports, Collins 26 October in hospital in France. John Scott, the dearly loved third son of Isabella Collins late of 151 Harrowby Street, and 26 Wordsworth Street.
John is further remembered on the War Memorial of St. Athanasius Church, Kirkdale, which was dedicated on the evening of Monday, 27 June, 1921, by the Lord Bishop of Liverpool. “The Last Post” was sounded by buglers of The Liverpool Rifles, 6th Bn. The King’s Liverpool Regiment.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Neptune No. 1264 E.C. | West Lancashire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
1st February 1915 | 1st March 1915 | 9th April 1915 |
John Scott Collins was initiated into Neptune Lodge No 1264 on the 1 February 1915. John was recorded within the lodge records, as being 28 years of age, carrying out the occupation as a joiner, residing at 22 Chancel Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. He was proposed by George Cathrall, and seconded by Richard Tharme. He was passed to the Second Degree on the 1 March 1915, and raised to the degree of Master Mason on the 9 April, having his Grand Lodge certificate issued on the 3 August 1915. The lodge records further inform us that John died in France on active service on the 26 October 1916.
He is commemorated on masonic Memorial inside Liverpool Masonic Hall, and on the Scroll of Honour at Freemasons Hall, London. Strangely, although the brethren of Neptune Lodge are included on the Scroll, they were not included in the earlier Roll of Honour book, published on behalf of United Grand Lodge.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley