Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Lieutenant J. Collins, Royal Field Artillery

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (2236 A/Bombr, R.A.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1902, South Africa 1901 (in that order) (2236 Serjt., R.F.A.); 1914-15 Star (2236 S, Mjr., R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.); Army L.S.& G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (2236 B.Q.M. Sjt., R.F.A.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (2236 Br., 32 F.B.R.A.), mounted for display, pre-W.W.1 with contact marks, minor edge bruising, very fine and better (7) £420-480

Joseph Collins was born in London on 23 October 1878 and joined the Royal Field Artillery in 1894. He saw service at the Battle of Omdurman in the Sudan and was present throughout the Boer War. In the Great War he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 23 August 1915. Collins was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the R.F.A. on 20 September 1915, was appointed Temporary Lieutenant on 11 October 1916 and gained the rank of Lieutenant on 1 July 1917. The proceedings of a medical board, dated 18 November 1915, state that 2nd Lieutenant Collins was ‘suffering from Neurasthemia as a result of the strain of 9 months active service culminating in the battle of Loos’. He was placed on Retirement Pay in April 1920. After the war, Lieutenant Collins, through the good offices of the West Bromwich Education Committee gained exemption from military service during the emergency of 1921.

Sold with a quantity of copied service papers.