An Electrical Engineer in the Civil Service Rifles.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Cape Colony", "Orange Free State", "Transvaal", "South Africa 1901" & "South Africa 1902".
8015 Sapr. J. E. Collins, Electrical Engineers, Royal Engineers.

British War Medal 1914 - 1920.
Victory Medal with MID Emblem.
530738 A.W.O. Cl 2. J. E. Collins, 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles).

James Edghill Collins was born in the parish of St Stephen's in London in late 1880 and baptised on 7th December of that year. He was the second son of James Edghill Collins, a manufacturer of gold lace, and his wife Fanny, who had married in 1873 and were living at 9 Bloomfield Road, Shepherd's Bush. By the time of the 1891 Census, the family had moved to 130 Lime Villas, Hampstead, and consisted of ten members: James (44), Fanny (40), Mabel (15), Margarite (14), Largent (11), James (10), Dora (8), Reginald Hugh (5), Guy (2) and baby Gladys St John. Also living with the family were a resident governess, a cook and a nurse.
James Edghill Collins enlisted in the London Electrical Engineers R.E. (Volunteers) in 1899. Two years previously, Queen Victoria had approved the formation of this new unit, whose duties included the operation of searchlights to help defend major ports. Following the outbreak of war with the Boers in South Africa, James joined the regular Electrical Engineers R.E. on 7th February 1901. His Attestation Papers describe him as having a dark complexion, hazel eyes and dark hair. He was 5' 9" tall, weighed 136lbs and had a slight scar on the outside of his right hand. His religion was given as Church of England, his trade as Electrical Engineer and his next-of-kin was his mother, Fannie Collins, living at 12 Quex Road, Kilburn.

James Edghill Collins served as a sapper with the Royal Engineers ("B" Company Electrical Engineers) in South Africa from 25th March 1901 until 15th May 1902, earning entitlement to the Queen's South Africa Medal with five clasps. He was paid a £5 "South African War" gratuity in November 1902 and continued to serve in the Volunteers till 1908, by which time he had been promoted to Sergeant.

On 22nd July 1908, James, now aged 27, married Phyllis Ethel Martin in the parish church of Kennington, his parents, brother Largent and sister Margarite acting as witnesses. A daughter, named Phyllis Ethel after her mother, was born to the couple in 1910. The 1911 Census records the family as living at 14 Wiltshire Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey. James was now working as a Service Observation Officer for the National Telephone Company. A second child, Jack Edghill, was born in June 1914.
 

In August 1914, the Collins family were living at 14 Gilpin Avenue, East Sheen. Four weeks after the outbreak of the Great War, James presented himself at Somerset House and enlisted in the 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles). At the age of 33, he was probably a bit older than most of the recruits but his previous military experience must have stood him in good stead as on 19th September he was promoted to Sergeant. In February 1916, he signed Army Form E.624, agreeing "to serve in any place outside the United Kingdom." Promotion to Company Quartermaster Sergeant followed on 20th March 1916.

 

James was sent to the Western Front to join the 1/15th Battalion of the Civil Service Rifles on 4th March 1917, reverting to the rank of Sergeant and initially he seems to have spent some time attached to the 7th Royal Irish Rifles. In due course, he rejoined the 1/15th and further promotion followed, first to Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant in November 1917 and then to Acting Warrant Officer (Class II). He was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's despatch of 7th April 1918. On 2nd January 1919, James Collins was on his way home to England, and was finally discharged from the army at the 15th London Regiment Depot on 30th January 1919.

Interestingly, Reginald Hugh Collins also worked as an electrician and served in the Great War as a sapper with the 14th Divisional Signals Company, Royal Engineers, earning entitlement to a British War Medal and Victory Medal pair like his brother, James.