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Cenotaph record

Claude Collins

  • Service number
    2671 AWMM
  • Also known as
    Claude Public - Karen - Direct descendant - 10 October 2015 - Ancestry.com records, military personnel file, Trove Australia, family papers/photos & oral history
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Last rank
  • War
    South African War, 1899-1902 AWMM
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Taken at home in Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand

Claud Melnotte Collins in his Boer War uniform 1899-1903

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    • Claude AWMM
    • Claud Melnotte Public - Karen - Direct descendant - 10 October 2015 - Ancestry.com records, military personnel file, Trove Australia, family papers/photos & oral history
  • Surname
    • Collins AWMM
    • Collins Public - Karen - Direct descendant - 10 October 2015 - Ancestry.com records, military personnel file, Trove Australia, family papers/photos & oral history
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    Claude Public - Karen - Direct descendant - 10 October 2015 - Ancestry.com records, military personnel file, Trove Australia, family papers/photos & oral history
  • Service number
    2671 AWMM
  • Gender
    • Male AWMM
    • Male Public - Karen - Direct descendant - 10 October 2015 - Ancestry.com records, military personnel file, Trove Australia, family papers/photos & oral history
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    South Africa Machinist/Civilian Ministry for Culture and Heritage
    Christchurch, Canterbury Ministry for Culture and Heritage
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Father was named Samuel Collins. AWMM
    • Claud Melnotte Collins was born in Mar 1879 at Balsall Heath, Birmingham, Wariwickshire, England to parents William Whitehouse Collins (1853-1923) and Selina Turner (1853-1885).
      He was descended from a long line of English born men and women, and was the great grandson of John Collins (1802-1852) a known Chartist in the early nineteenth century who was involved in the Bull Ring Riots.
      Claud’s father William was the Senior Parliamentary Member for Christchurch, and a renowned activist and rationalist for the free thought platform in Australia, New Zealand and earlier in England. William was a liberal thinker and a man of great academic and political achievement.
      In 1885, after the death of his mother from Tuberculosis, Claud and his father moved to Australia. They initially spent time in Melbourne and Sydney, the latter being where Claude’s father met Alice Annie Skinner (1868-1923) whom he married in 1886.
      Claud's half brother Spencer Clifford Collins (1887-1950) was born in Queensland.
      In 1890 Claud’s family moved to Christchurch, New Zealand. Claud would have been only 11 yrs old at this time.
      In 1900 Claud enlisted for the Boer War in Christchurch, and served for just over a year in Rhodesia and South Africa. He was a private in the "Rough Riders" 4th and 5th contingent and received a 1901 South Africa Service Medal for his involvement. On his enlistment he states his trade of calling as being a Machinist and that he was residing in Sydenham, Christchurch. According to his personal particulars he was 5 feet 5 1/2 inches tall, with a dark complexion, hazel eyes, dark hair and weighed 9 stone 6lbs. His religion is listed as Baptist.
      Claud married Elise Ann Dawson (1878-1911) on the 8th of May 1902 in Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand. Elise was the daughter of Frank Sansom Dawson (1837-1913) and Sarah Marie Ball (1844-1894).
      Claud and Elise had the following children:
      - Clarance Melnotte Collins (1902-1979)
      - Thelma Winifred "Girlie" Collins (1904-1980)
      - Beatrice May "Baye" Collins (1906-1987)
      - Edna Evelyn Doreen Collins (1908-1988)
      - Lilian Betty Collins (1910-1963)
      Claud and his family moved to Sydney in 1909 and resided at Woollahra. Elise returned home for the birth of Lilian in 1910 so that she could be close to family for support, returning to Australia not long after.
      Tragically Elise died from a miscarriage resulting in Septicaemia on the 26th Oct 1911 at the Royal Womens Hospital, Woollhara, New South Wales. She was just 33 years old. Elsie is buried at the Church of England Cemetery in Waverly.
      Claud married Emma "Emily" Louisa Hodgkins (1892-1976) on the 28 Oct 1914 at Newcastle, NSW.
      Emily was born in 1891at Middlesex, England to parents Edward Albert Hodgkins (1870-1938) and Esther Matilda Chipchase (1863-1935).
      Emily and Claud had nine more children, the youngest of which was born when Claud was 54yrs old. They were:
      - Leslie Claud Collins (1914-1982 fought in WWII)
      - Dorothy Collins (1916-)
      - Twins Joan Delma Collins (1918-2014) & Jean Olga Collins (1918-2007)
      - Irene Phyllis Collins (1920- 2006)
      - Catherine Vivian Collins (1923-1925)
      - Noel Spencer Collins (1926-)
      - Betty Iris Selina Collins (1927-)
      - Marguerite "Marjorie" Elise Ann Collins (1931-)
      - Marion Collins (1933-1933)
      Tragically Catherine died from drowning at the age of two, and Marion died the same day she was born.
      Claud dabbled in politics, standing as a candidate for the Labor party in the Waverly Municipal elections in 1920. Perhaps his interest in politics can be attributed to his own father, though his choice of party is surprising given that William was a left wing liberal.
      But for most of his life, Claud worked tirelessly as an Engineer until illness prevented him from continuing.
      Claud died in 1952 from Cerebral Haemorrhage and Hypertension, illnesses that he suffered from for a period of 14yrs.
      Claud was cremated at Rookwood Crematorium on the 18th of March 1952. Public - Karen - Direct descendant - 10 October 2015 - Family papers & oral history, Ancestry.com, military records
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Death

About death

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  • Death
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Andersons Bay Cemetery AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Claude Collins

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  • Claud was a content and happy man, constantly surrounded by family and children. He was a devoted family man who kept and nurtured close ties with all his children. Both groups of Collins children spent considerable time together growing up, he lived for his children and grand children. Claud - A true gentleman, hat slightly askew and appropriately attired in suit and vest no matter the occasion or weather. Though he had seen considerable heart ache in his life, it did not alter his gentle and loving nature. Those who knew him would have been the richer for it.
    Public - Karen - Direct descendant - 10 October 2015
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Sources

Sources

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Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
10 October 2015KarenAlice Springs, Northern Territory, AustraliaDirect descendant
10 October 2015KarenAlice Springs, Northern Territory, AustraliaDirect descendant

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