Collins George Henry 195716

George Henry Collins 195716

Born in Dummer Township on August 26, 1892, William George Henry Collins was son to William Collins and Martha Jane Evans.  They farmed in Dummer, on Lot 1, Concession 1 in the southern portion of the township.

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Collins enlisted in A Company of the 93^rd Battalion in Peterborough, Ontario on January 6, 1916.  At the time he was living at 54 James Street in the city as was working as a blacksmith.  He was 19 years 4 months old, single and a Baptist.  He stood 5 foot, 9 inches tall, and weighed 141 pounds.  He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair.  His medical examination indicated that he has scars on his abdomen from a previous hernia operation.

Pte. Collins sailed with the 93^rd Battalion on the S.S. Empress of Britain and arrived in England on the 25^th of July.  Sometime after, the 93^rd was broken up and the men used to reinforce several battalions already at the front.  Pte. Collins was among a draft of 93^rd men who were transferred to the 1st Battalion.

He arrived in France on September 27 1916 and joined the 1^st Battalion on the 9^th of October.  He spent 3 ½ months in the trenches in the Somme area, during which time the 1^st battalion was participated in some attacks and raids on the enemy.

On January 28, 1917, Pte. Collins entered No.22 Canadian General Hospital at Camiers, France. He had been suffering from headaches, swelling of the face, legs, hands and body, as well as weakness and shortness of breath.  He was sent back to England to the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester where he was diagnosed with nephritis and battled fever for two weeks.  He stayed there for over 7 months from February 5, 1917 to September 25, 1917.  From there Collins was transferred to the West Cliff Canadian Eye and Ear Hospital in Folkestone until October 5^th.  There he was diagnosed with chronic nephritis, Bright’s Disease, and it was noted that he was rapidly losing weight and strength.  He was again transferred, this time to Moore Barracks No.11 Canadian Hospital for further treatment.  Pte. Collins next went to No.5 Canadian General Hospital in Liverpool on November 16 1917 and was deemed healthy enough to be invalided to Canada on December 16^th.

Pte. Collins returned safely to Canada and entered Queen’s University Military Hospital on January 02 1918 with headaches, body pains and swelling. He was discharged to duty on the 27^th of that month.  He appeared before the Medical Board at Kingston on March 11. He was described as “pale, pasty looking and thin. Is very weak and short of breath and gets dizzy with slight exertion.”  Collins described suffering from violent headaches in the morning clearing about noon,  swelling of feet and ankles, swelling of neck at night and swelling under eyelids and face.  He was shown to be very anemic and would require medical attention for some time. His ailments were attributed to the conditions of 4 ½ months in the trenches in France and he was awarded a 75% disability pension for one year, upon which time he would return for a re-examination.  He was at that time officially declared medically unfit for service and discharged from military service.

Peterborough Examiner
October 03 1918 pg.5

Collins returned to Peterborough where he reported sick on July 8^th and was sent to Nicholl’s hospital in Peterboro suffering with convulsions.   Pte. Collins died of Uraemia, probably from kidney failure on September 30, 1918, in Queen’s Military Hospital, Kingston.  His body returned to Peterborough on the C.P.R. rail, and went to the family home at the corner of Rubidge and King streets where a funeral service was held.  He was then taken to Norwood Protestant Cemetery and buried with full military honours.

·        Editors note: Pte. Collin’s name does not appear on the cenotaph in Warsaw. Medical reports contained in his service file contribute his nephritis to conditions incurred during his service in the trenches.  His death, due to kidney failure, is most likely linked to this previous condition.  It is my feeling that his death was largely attributed to his military service and therefore, his name should be included on the Dummer cenotaph as one of those who fell.

Source:

Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Births and Stillbirths- 1869-1913. MS 929, reels 1-245. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Archives of Ontario.

Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Births and Stillbirths- 1869-1913. MS 929, reels 1-245. Toronto, Ontario,

Canada: Archives of Ontario.

Library and Archives Canada online: (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca), Census of 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 2004.

Library and Archives Canada online: (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca), Census of 1911. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 2007.

Library and Archives Canada. The Complete Military Service File of George Collins. RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 1876 – 27. Accessed November 15 2015.