Lieutenant
Jeffreys Lewis William COLLINSON
Infantry
Died: 15th July 1916 - Age: 31

Commemorated:

1. Memorial:Ovillers Military CemeteryMash Valley Mem. 33.
2. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.119
3. Memorial:The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour54D GQS
4. Memorial:Liverpool Masonic Hall War MemorialCol.1. Hope St.
    

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.

His father, George Frederick Hampton Collinson was born in Birkenhead in 1857, and gained a B.A. at Cambridge, and, his mother, Constance Lewis, was born at Swansea in 1866, Jeffreys himself, was born at Highgate, London on 12th October, 1884 and baptised on 14th March, 1885 at St Michael’s Highgate, the family residence shown as North Road, Highgate. 1891 is the first census which records Jeffreys, age 6 living at 19 Bartholomew Road, Islington, along with sister Evelyn, and one year old brother Kenneth Hampton Collinson. His mother Constance is 29, and also present is her mother Mary Lewis age 65, who was born in Ireland.

In 1901 the census shows the family residing at 7 Howard Drive, near to Cressington Station in the south of Liverpool, while ten years later they are at 4 South Bank Road, Cressington. Jeffreys is described as being a “Barrister-in-Law”, and besides his parents, his younger sister Constance Violet Evelyn is present. Although shown as a year younger than Jeffreys, she too was born in London, at Camden. The family also had a maid, cook, and two servants within the household.

Jeffreys sails from Liverpool aboard the SS Umbria arriving at New York on 13 March 1904. He is shown as age 19 year 4 month. It gives him going to visit Miss Catherine Lewis (maybe a relative) who lives at 56 West 65th Street, New York. This is located in Manhattan, Lincoln Square running down from Broadway and leading on to Central Park.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: 3rd Battalion Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire) Regiment 

Action : The Battles of the Somme 1916 

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

The London Gazette of 12th February, 1915 reported his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment). It is unsure when he went to the front but it is known he was wounded in the early summer of 1916. This was reported in the Liverpool Echo on Thursday 1 June with the title Liverpool Barrister Wounded. It has; “Lieutenant J.L.W. Collinson of the South Lancashire Regiment, is reported wounded the War Office. Lieutenant Collinson, who is the son of G. H. Collinson solicitor, had a distinguished career at Oxford, and prior to joining his Majesty’s forces practised at the Chancery bar”. This report was also confirmed with his name appearing on the casualty list issued by the War Office on 5 June 1916.

The wound could not of been of a very serious nature as he was soon back in the front line and was killed in action leading his men on Saturday, 15 July 1916 while attached to the 2nd Battalion from the 3rd Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment). This was part of the on the Somme offensive, his battalion part of 75 Infantry Brigade, in the 25th Division, X Corps was attacking up Mash Valley towards La Boiselle and Ovillers, with little success’ when he lost his life.

The attack had started very early at 2.00a.m. with a mist on the ground, which later cleared to give a bright July day, with a temperature of 72 Fahrenheit. Heavy fighting occurred all day with many casualties and Jeffreys Collinson was among those fatalities. His body if recovered was not identified so he no known grave being commemorated on the Mash Valley Memorial in the areas biggest burial ground, Ovillers Military Cemetery on Mem. 33: This cemetery is located on what was “no man’s land” with seventy-two percent of its residents being unidentified. The son of Harry Lauder, the famous music hall entertainer is buried here.

Soldiers Died in the Great War suggest that J.L.W. Collinson was "killed in action" on the 15th July 1916 as a 2nd Lieutenant, serving with the 3rd Battalion Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire) Regiment.

The Liverpool Daily Post on Thursday, 20th July, 1916 reports his death under the title Lieutenant J. L. W. Collinson; “The regrettable news that Lieut. J.L.W. Collinson of the South Lancashire Regiment was killed in action on 15th inst. Lieut. Collinson, who had been recommended for promotion to a captaincy, was much beloved by his company. He had a brilliant career at Oxford University Oriel B.A.B.C.L, obtaining first class honours in law, and was called to the bar, Lincoln’s Inn, June 1910, one of his sponsors being Mr Justice Eve. Lieutenant Collinson practised at the Chancery Bar specialising in insurance law. He took a deep interest in Freemasonry being a Past Master of the West Lancashire Lodge 1403, and a member of the Castle and other lodges. Lieut. Collinson was the eldest son of Mr G. F. H. Collinson of Messrs. Caruthers and Collinson, solicitors, Castle street, Liverpool. The Liverpool Echo, also for 20 July on page 5 has under the title WAR’S TOLL OF LOCAL MEN, reiterating on the report of the earlier morning paper.

An article in the Southport Visitor newspaper on 22nd July, 1916 reporting the death, simply says; Lieutenant Collinson was the eldest son of Mr G.F.H. Collinson of Messrs. Carruthers and Collinson, Solicitors of (20 Castle Street) Liverpool, formerly of Southport. He was for a period in the chambers of Mr. John Rutherford at Liverpool. He subsequently practised at the Chancery Bar and was a past master of the West Lancashire Lodge (1403) of the Freemasons.

Probate COLLINSON Jeffreys Lewis William otherwise Jeffreys Lewis of 12 Gambier-terrace Hope-street Liverpool esquire barrister-at-law M.A. B.C.L. 2nd lieutenant special officers' reserve 3rd South Lancashire regiment died 15 July 1916 at Ovillers France Administration Liverpool 8 August to George Frederic Hampton Collinson solicitor. Effects £232 17s. 7d.

In addition to masonic memorial Jeffreys is commemorated on: Liverpool College; Oriel College, Oxford; Ovilliers Memorial, France and the Southport Cenotaph.

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : West Lancashire No. 1403 E.C.West Lancashire
Joined : Liverpool Castle No. 3373 E.C. West Lancashire
Joined : West Lancashire No. 3088 E.C. London

Initiated
Passed
Raised
8th January 1909
5th April 1909
24th May 1909
 

Jeffreys Lewis William Collinson was initiated into his father's lodge West Lancashire Lodge No 1403, then meeting at Ormskirk, on 8 January 1909 age 24, his residence given as Oriel College, Oxford. He was passed to the second or fellow-craft degree on 5 April and raised as a master mason on 34 May, with his Grand Lodge Certificate issued 16 June 1909. He became the Junior Warden in 1910, Senior Warden in 1911 and Worshipful Master in 1912.

On 4 February 1910 he became a ‘joining’ member of West Lancashire Lodge No 3088, which met in London, and is described as a Graduate residing at the Reform Club. His father had become a member in 1907.

He also became a “joining member” of Liverpool Castle Lodge No 3373 at their Installation Meeting on 24 October 1912 held at the Masonic Room’s in the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool. His father also joined the following December.

There is confusion over what he should be named between the 1921 Book, the 1933 Scroll and the Contribution Records. The name listed heading this legend is that given at Probate.:

The 1921 Book, the Masonic Roll of Honour lists him under West Lancashire Lodge No. 1403 as Lewis William Collinson JEFFREYS, but he is also listed under Liverpool Castle Lodge No. 3373 as Jeffreys Lewis COLLINSON. He is listed as a Past Master in both, but in West Lancashire as a Captain and Liverpool Castle as a Lieutenant. The 1933 Scroll is the same.

The 1887-1909 contribution record of West Lancashire Lodge lists his name as Jeffrey Louis William COLLINSON, as a 24 year old Oxford student. He was initiated into this Lodge and at the end of the record is shows two further lodges to consider L3373 (Liverpool Castle) and 3088 (West Lancashire, London). The 1910-1921 register lists him as COLLINSON, J.L.W., records war service and shows "Killed in Action July 1916."

The 1910-1921 contribution record of Liverpool Castle Lodge lists his name as Jeffreys Lewis COLLINSON a joining member on 24th October 1912 who "Died on Active Service 15th July 1916." His father was a member of this lodge.

The 1910-1921 Register of West Lancashire Lodge No. 3088 shows that Jeffreys Lewis Wm Collinson, joined it on the 24th February 1910 citing residence at the Reform Club as a "graduate." He resigned from this Lodge on the 10th June 1916. George Collinson was a member of this Lodge also, but resigned in 1910.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2021-02-27 08:25:38