Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private A. J. Collins, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, a survivor from the Warren Hastings

India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Relief of Chitral 1895 (6270 Pte., 1st Bn. K.R.Rifle Corps); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Relief of Ladysmith, South Africa 1902 (6270 Pte., K.R.R.C.) unofficial connection to last clasp, some edge nicks and contact marks, very fine (2) £250-300

Arthur James Collins was born in Sawton, Devonshire in 1871, the son of James and Ann Collins. A Carpenter by occupation, he attested for the K.R.R.C. at Exeter on 17 February 1891, aged 19 years, 10 months. Posted to the 4th Battalion in September 1891 and to the 1st Battalion in October 1892. Served overseas in Burma, September 1891-October 1892; India, October 1892-January 1897; and Mauritius, January 1897-January 1899. His transfer from India to Mauritius was not without incident, as Collins, a member of ‘G’ Company, 1st Battalion K.R.R.C., was a survivor from the troopship Warren Hastings when she ran aground and was wrecked off the Island of Reunion, on 14 January 1897. He was transferred to the Army Reserve in January 1899 but recalled to the Colours in October and served in South Africa, November 1899-August 1900 and again, May-July 1902. He was discharged on 16 February 1903. With copied service papers and other research.