Pte 37561 Richard Collins

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 9th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Arras Memorial
  Panel Ref: Bay 3

Born as William Richard Collins, he was born on the 7^th October 1891, and baptised 16th October 1891 at St Anthony’s RC Church, Liverpool. He was the  son of William Richard and Mary Ann (nee Shannon) Collins and the husband of Mrs. Margaret Collins, of 46 Virgil St, Liverpool. His parents married on the 26th June 1891 at All Saints Church, Liverpool, William was a 23 year old carter of Beau St, whilst Mary Ann was a 17 year old of Ellison St.

The 1901 Census shows the family living 7 Court, House 2, Blenheim St, Liverpool. 

The father William R. is aged 30 a carter, mother Mary A. is 28, children William 10, Mary C. 7 and Edward 4 (next door to them is Mary Ann's father Edward Shannon). The family were all born in Liverpool.

The 1911 Census shows the family living have moved to 65 Kew St, Liverpool, the dwelling had 3 rooms.

Father William Richard Collins is aged 39 a dock labourer, mother Mary Ann is 38 (married 20 years only 3 of her 9 children still alive), children Richard aged 19 and occupation as an oil cake mill labourer, Mary Catherine is 17 and Edward is 15.

William married Margaret Cushion on 18th January 1914 at St Anthony’s RC Church, Liverpool and had a son Richard Collins born late 1914/early 1915 (GRO birth reg: March Qtr 1915, Liverpool 8b 38).

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 37561 when he was killed in action on the 9^th April 1917 aged 26 during the Battle of Arras. 

Arras 09^th April 1917

Details of the circumstances the 18^th Battalion had to contend with are illustrated below:

The battalion formed the left assaulting battalion of the brigade, the 2^nd Wiltshire Regiment being on the right, the 19^th Manchester Regiment being in support and 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment furnishing “moppers -up”  for the two assaulting battalions. The brigade advance was timed to begin at ---- hour after “Zero”, suited to conform with the movements of 56^th Division and other divisions on our left further north (near Arras). This battalion’s objective was the front-line system Lion Lane on the left (exclusive) to Panther Lane on right (exclusive). This sector included the strongpoint known as “The Egg”.

The brigade advanced at prearranged time, i.e., 11.38 a.m, from position of assembly trenches south of Neuville Vitasse to German front line. This necessitated an advance across the open of at least 2,000 yards. This area up to Neuville Vitasse- Henin road was crossed in artillery formation; after this, owing to machine-gun fire and considerable resistance from German posts forward in the sunken roads, it was found necessary to deploy. During the whole movement across the open the advancing columns had been under considerable artillery fire from guns of all calibres. On gaining the position immediately in front of German line it was found that the wire was practically uncut; this wire formed two strong belts in front of German trenches. Two small gaps were eventually discovered and Second-Lieut H.F.Merry gallantly led a bombing party through them, but his three remaining men were killed as they reached the German trenches.

From the moment the battalion was “held up” in front of German wire Capt. R. W. Jones, the senior company commander on the spot, at once began the work of consolidating in front of German wire. The battalion held on in this position for the remainder of the day, until relieved by the 16^th Manchester Regiment about 3 a.m. on the 10^th of April, all the time under intense machine-gun and rifle fire.

Between 9th-10th April, 1917, the 18th King's lost 2 officers 2nd Lt. F. Ashcroft and 2nd Lt. H.G. Ewing and 59 other ranks killed. 8 other officers were wounded.  

Richard's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in France.

The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918. Canadian and Australian servicemen killed in these operations are commemorated by memorials at Vimy and Villers-Bretonneux. A separate memorial remembers those killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, with sculpture by Sir William Reid Dick. The memorial was unveiled by Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force on the 31 July 1932 (originally it had been scheduled for 15 May, but due to the sudden death of French President Doumer, as a mark of respect, the ceremony was postponed until July).

There was some confusion over Richard's service number as SDGW shows 35761. However, CWGC, MIC, Soldiers Effects and Pension records confirm his number as 37561.

Richard is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance situated inside Liverpool Town Hall at Additions Panel 2. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Margaret and child Richard

On the 1920 electoral roll parents are living at 26 Bostock St

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