Born: 2 November 1897, Eccleshill
Died: 12 April 1918
Buried:
Address: 5 The Grove, Idle
Parents: John Albert & Mary Jane
Spouse:
Siblings: Richard
Occupation: J W Ackroyd, auctioneer
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Holy Trinity, Idle; Greengates; Ploegsteert
Children:
Regiment: Leeds Pals
David Collins
David Collins was born on the 2nd
of November 1897 and baptised on
the 19th December 1897 at St
Augustine’s Church, the son of
John Albert Collins born 1867 in
Bradford and Mary Jane Thornton
born 1867 in Saltaire.
John and Mary married in Bradford
in 1893 and went to live at 10
Leeds Road, Eccleshill.
In 1901 the family were living at
41 Curzon Road and two children
had been born, Richard in 1894 and
David in 1897. John was working
as a wool buyer.
By 1911 the family had moved to
133 Otley Road, Shipley and John
was still a wool buyer. Whilst his
elder brother Richard was learning
the wool business David at 13 years
of age was still at school.
David enlisted in October 1916 as
Private 38049 in the 15th/17th
Battalion of the West Yorkshire
(Prince of Wales Own) Regiment.
His Regiment took part in the Arras
offensive during the spring of 1917
fighting at the 3rd Battle of the
Scarpe 3rd/4th May and at the
capture of Oppy Wood on the 28th
of June.
They do not appear to have been in
action until the following year
when David saw a great deal of
action during the first battles of the
Somme 1918 at the Battle of St
Quentin 21st/23rd March, at the
first battle of Bapaume 24th/25th of
March and then at the first battle of
Arras on the 28th March.
His Regiment then took part in the
battles of Lys 9th to the 29th April
1918 at the Battle of Estaires
9th/11th April and the Battle of
Hazebrouch 12th to the 15th of
April when his Regiment was
fighting in the defence of Nieppe
Forest.
On 31 May 1918, the Shipley Times
& Express reported:
“Pte David Collins, West Yorks
Regt (Leeds Pals), of 5 The Grove,
Idle, is reported missing since 12th
April.
“Aged 20, he worked for J W
Ackroyd, auctioneer of Cheapside,
Bradford, and has been at the front
about 16 months.”
He was later presumed dead. He is
remembered on the Ploegsteert
Memorial. The Memorial
commemorates more than 11,000
servicemen of the United Kingdom
and South African forces who died
in this sector during the First World
War and have no known grave.
The memorial serves the area from
the line Caestre-Dranoutre-
Warneton to the north, to
Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes to
the south, including the towns of
Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and
Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe,
and Ploegsteert Wood.
David is also remembered on the
Greengates Memorial and the
lychgate at Holy Trinity, Idle.
David left his effects to his father
who received £8.0.1d on the 8th
December 1919, which included
the War Gratuity of £8.0.0d.
Researched and written by Jean Britton, to whom grateful thanks
