CSM 60670 Frederick George Collins

• Age: 37
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: 18TH Bn Manchester
• Died on Thursday 23rd May 1918
• Commemorated at: Boulogne East Cem
  Panel Ref: IX.A.79

Frederick George was born in 1881 and was baptised on the 10th April 1881 in St. Silas' Church, Toxteth Park, Liverpool he was the son of John Scott Collins and his wife Isabella (nee Whiteside), of 26 Wordsworth Street, Lodge Lane, Liverpool. His parents were married in 1877. His father was from Scotland, and his mother from Lancashire. At the time of their marriage his parents were living at 38 Fernhill Street; his father’s occupation is a sailmaker. He had three brothers Andrew, John, and James.

The 1881 Census shows newborn Frederick living with his parents and older brother John at 38 Fernhill Street, Toxteth Park. His father is a 39 year old sailmaker, born in Scotland, his mother is 26 years of age and born in Blackpool. His elder brother John is 2 years of age. 

The 1891 Census finds the family have moved and are now living at 24 Cawdor Street, Toxteth Park. His father is now listed as a 45 year old sailmaker, born in Greenock, Scotland, his mother is recorded as being 36 years of age. Frederick is now the eldest surviving child and is 10 years of age, he has younger brothers; Andrew S. aged 8,  John S. aged 4, and James A.M. aged 1. 

By the time of the 1901 Census, his widowed mother, aged 44 is living at 151 Harrowby Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool with three of her sons; Andrew S. aged 18 and a joiner's apprentice, John S. aged 14 and James A. M. aged 11.  

Frederick married Dora Burling in the second quarter of 1907.  

In 1911 the couple are living at 25 Vandyke Street, Liverpool. Frederick is 30 years old and is a police constable, his wife Dora is 25 years of age. They advise that they have been married for 4 years and have had two children, who are both listed in the household;  Dora, aged 3, and Freda, 11 months. 

Their third daughter, Irene, was born in 1912.

It appears from newspaper reports that Frederick originally served with the Grenadier Guards at the commencement of war but may have been on of the Grenadier Guards recruited by Ferdinand Stanley, as he served as Company Sergeant Major 24439 in the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. 

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

Frederick arrived in France on 07th November 1915. 

At some point he transferred to the 18th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment as Company Sergeant Major 60670.

He died of wounds on 23rd May 1918, aged 37.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo under the header:

LIVERPOOL P.C. HERO

The death is announced of Company Sergeant Major Fred Collins from a gunshot wound in the head received in action in France on the 16th inst. 

The deceased soldier was a member of the Liverpool Police Force for 16 years, serving in the C Division or Essex Street district and was for some time attached to the plain clothes staff.Previous to this he had served seven years in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, seeing service in the South African campaign and was granted the Queen's Medal with several clasps. On the outbreak of the present war he voluntarily rejoined the colours, his regiment being the Grenadier Guards. He was transferred to the 20th Battalion (The Pals) King's (Liverpool Regiment) and went to France with them. After several months hard fighting he was he was invalided home and was subsequently drafted to the Manchesters as company sergeant major.   

He was well known in Liverpool athletic circles, he having played in the police cricket eleven for several years and he also was a member of the police football team.    

He now rests at Boulogne East Cemetery where his headstone bears the epitaph: 

"OUT OF THE STRESS OF THE DOING INTO THE PEACE OF THE DONE"

Boulogne, was one of the three base ports most extensively used by the Commonwealth armies on the Western Front throughout the First World War. It was closed and cleared on the 27 August 1914 when the Allies were forced to fall back ahead of the German advance, but was opened again in October and from that month to the end of the war, Boulogne and Wimereux formed one of the chief hospital areas.

Until June 1918, the dead from the hospitals at Boulogne itself were buried in the Cimetiere de L'Est, one of the town cemeteries, the Commonwealth graves forming a long, narrow strip along the right hand edge of the cemetery. In the spring of 1918, it was found that space was running short in the Eastern Cemetery in spite of repeated extensions to the south, and the site of the new cemetery at Terlincthun was chosen.

During the Second World War, hospitals were again posted to Boulogne for a short time in May 1940. The town was taken by the Germans at the end of that month and remained in their hands until recaptured by the Canadians on 22 September 1944.

Boulogne Eastern Cemetery contains 5,577 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 224 from the Second World War.

The Commonwealth plots were designed by Charles Holden.

Soldiers Effects to widow Dora, Pension to Dora and children Dora Isabel, Freda and Irene.

His daughters were 10, 8, and 6 when he died.

Frederick is commemorated in Liverpool Town Hall, Hall of Remembrance Panel 9 Left.

His brother, John Scott Collins, Sapper 158966, Royal Engineers, died of wounds on 26th October 1916. He was 29 years of age.

He now rests at Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"HE GAVE HIS LIFE GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS" 

An anniversary notice was placed in the Liverpool Echo on 26th October 1918 which also commemorated Frederick:

“In loving memory of John S. Collins, R.E., who died of wounds in France, October 26 1916; also R.S.M. Frederick G. Collins, KLR, who died of wounds in France, May 23 1918; also James A. Collins, who died at Las Palmas, May 3 1915, the beloved sons of Isabella Collins. (Never forgotten.)”

His mother had suffered the loss of three sons in three years.

We currently have no further information on Frederick George Collins, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.