John COLLINS

Regimental number1145
Place of birthCork, Ireland
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationEngine-greaser
AddressGreat Western Hotel, George Street, West Sydney, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation27
Height5' 9"
Weight168 lbs
Next of kinCousin, Mrs J Sullivan, 17 Leaton Street, Paddington, New South Wales
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date1 October 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll31 December 1915
Place of enlistmentSydney, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentDriver
Unit name36th Battalion, Machine Gun Section
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/53/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on 13 May 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll34th Battalion
FateReturned to Australia 3 July 1919
Discharge date28 September 1919
Other details

War service: Western Front

Embarked Sydney, 13 May 1916.

District Court Marshal held at sea, 21 June 1916: charge: (1) being absent without leave from 2:30 pm to 11:00pm, 12 June 1916 and (2) escaping from lawful custody on 13 June 1916; pleaded guilty, found guilty: sentenced to 28 days' detention and forfeited 37 days' pay.

Disembarked Devonport, England, 9 July 1916; marched in to No 4 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 6 September 1916; marched in to Grantham Training Bn, 19 December 1916.

Found guilty, Australian Machine Gun Training Depot, Belton Park, 30 December 1916, of (1) absenting himself from Company's Parade and (2) being absent without leave from 11:30 am to midday, 30 December 1916: awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No 2 and forfeited 1 day's pay.

Proceeded overseas to France, 26 February 1917; marched in to 3rd Australian Division Base Depot, Etaples, France, 27 February 1917; marched out to Front and taken on strength of 36th Bn, 2 March 1917.

Admitted to 9th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred to General Hospital, 6 March 1917 (syphilis); to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 8 March 1917; to 8th Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, 10 March 1917; to No 7 Convalescent Depot, Boulogne, 11 March 1917; to 51st General Hospital, Etaples, 12 March 1917 (venereal disease: total period of treatment, 69 days); discharged to Base Depot, 13 May 1917.

Field General Court Marshal, 25 May 1917: charge: being absent without leave from 2nd November to 23rd November 1916: awarded 56 days' Field Punishment No 2 and forfeited 22 days' pay.

Rejoined 36th Bn, 3 June 1917.

Admitted to 9th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred to 32nd Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, 11 June 1917 (shell shock); to No 1 Convalescent Depot, 17 June 1917; to Rest Camp, 18 June 1917; marched in to 3rd Australian Division Base Depot, Rouelles, 20 June 1917.

Found guilty, 22 June 1917, of (1) being absent without leave from 9:30 pm, until apprehended by Military Police at 11:30 pm, 22 June 1917 and (2) producing a false pass and giving a false name: awarded 28 day's Field Punishment No 1 and forfeited 28 days' pay.

Marched out to unit, 25 June 1917; rejoined unit in Belgium, 26 June 1917.

Detached to Machine Gun Company, 10 August 1917.

Found guilty, 2 November 1917, of being absent without leave from 2:00 pm to 10:15 pm, 2 November 1917: awarded 10 days' Field Punishment No 2 and forfeited 11 days' pay.

Wounded in action, admitted to 9th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred to 53rd Casualty Clearing Station, 21 November 1917; to 3rd Canadian General Hospital, 22 June 1917 (gun shot wound to left thigh); to England, 24 November 1917; admitted to Whippet War Hospital, England, 26 November 1917; transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, 27 December 1917; discharged from hospital and granted leave, 31 December 1917 to 14 January 1918.

Marched in to No 4 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 15 January 1918; marched in to Overseas Training Brigade, 14 February 1918.

District Court Marshal held at Sutton Veny, 9 April 1917: charge: being absent without leave from 27 February 1918, until apprehended by Military Police in London, 25 March 1918; pleaded guilty, found guilty: sentenced to 60 days' detention and forfeited 101 days' pay.

Marched out to Lewes Detention Barracks, 24 April 1918; discharged from Barracks, 21 May 1918; taken on strength of 33rd Bn, 24 May 1918; proceeded overseas to France from Longbridge Deverill Training Bn, 30 May 1918; marched in to Australian Infantry Base Depot, Rouelles, France, 1 June 1918; marched out to Front, 3 June 1918.

Admitted to 10th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred to 47th Casualty Clearing Station, 7 June 1918 (pneumonia); transferred to Base, 11 June 1918; declared an illegal absentee, 21 June 1918; rejoined unit (as illegal absentee), 10 November 1918.

Field General Court Marshal, held 19 December 1918: charge: being absent without leave from 11:00 am, 21 June to 5:20 pm, 10 November 1918; found not guilty of charge dated, but guilty of 21 days' being absent without leave: sentenced to 2 years' Imprisonment with hard labour.

Marched out to Military Prison, 7 February 1919; admitted to 5th Military Prison, Les Attaques, 8 February 1919; transferred to England to undergo sentence, 24 May 1919; admitted to Northampton Military Prison, 24 May 1919; sentence suspended on release from Prison, 18 June 1919.

Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Prinz Hubertus', 3 July 1919; disembarked Sydney, 26 August 1919; discharged, 28 September 1919.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, COLLINS John