condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white

Cenotaph record

William Edward Collins

-
Lay a poppy
Portrait from In Memoriam, 1914-1918 [Wanganui Collegiate School], 1919[?] - No known copyright restrictions

Portrait from In Memoriam, 1914-1918 [Wanganui Collegiate School], 1919[?] - No known copyright rest …

Identity

About

Contribute ›
  • Title
  • Forenames
    William Edward AWMM
  • Surname
    Collins AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWI 23109 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion
    Anglican, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

Contribute ›
  • Birth
    26 June 1882 AWMM Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Pre 7 September 1915 AWMM Paihiatua, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mrs Maria Sebley (mother), Porangahau, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 27 May 1916 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

Contribute ›
  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
    1914-1919 Western Front AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 23109 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

Contribute ›

Training and Enlistment

Contribute ›
  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW1 7 September 1915 AWMM
    Age 32 AWMM
    Stock Agent/Civilian AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

Contribute ›

Prisoner of war

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

Medical history

Contribute ›
  • Medical notes
    • Height, Unknown Period AWMM
      5 foot 10 inches AWMM
    • Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

Contribute ›
  • Son of Frederick Thomas Collins and Maria Collins (nee Ellingham later Mrs John Robert Sebley), of Porangahau, Hawke's Bay.

    Gained commission as Second Lieutenant on 27 May 1915 (Studholme 1928).

    "Came to this school in January, 1898. On leaving he joined the staff of Messrs Abraham and Williams, where he received rapid promotion, and at the time of his enlistment was manager of the branch in Pahiatua. He was severely wounded by a bursting shell at Messines, when supervising the digging of a new trench. The stretcher bearers arrived as soon as possible, but he died before they had time to get him to the nearest dressing station. In a letter received from one of the men in his company it is evident that he was a most popular and capable officer." (In Memoriam, 1914-1918 [Wanganui Collegiate School])

    Mother's surname incorrectly spelled as Selby on the Nominal Roll it is Sebley. AWMM
Read more

Death

About death

Contribute ›
  • Death
    9 June 1917 AWMM
    Age 36 AWMM
    Belgium, Europe AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

Contribute ›
  • Memorial name
    Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial, Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Belgium AWMM

Roll of Honour

Remember William Edward Collins by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of William Edward Collins

Leave a note

Contribute ›

Sources

Sources

Contribute ›
  • External links
  • References
    • Studholme, J. (1928). New Zealand Expeditionary Force record of personal services during the war of officers, nurses, and first-class warrant officers, and other facts relating to the N.Z.E.F. : unofficial but based on official records. Wellington, N.Z.: Government Printer. AWMM
    • New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1917). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      33: 34 AWMM
    • Studholme, J. (1928). New Zealand Expeditionary Force record of personal services during the war of officers, nurses, and first-class warrant officers, and other facts relating to the N.Z.E.F. : unofficial but based on official records. Wellington, N.Z.: Government Printer. AWMM
      Studholme, J. (1928). p. 83. AWMM
    • Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications AWMM
      Vol. 1: Includes portrait AWMM
    • Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications AWMM
      Vol. 5: Includes portrait AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
17 December 2022Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
31 July 2016AllanRotoruaResearcher

The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

Creative Commons LicenseOnline Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.