Collins, John Augustine

1638 Private John Augustine Collins - 51st Battalion AIF

John Augustine Collins was born on the 29th August 1870 in Fremantle WA to Joseph and Jane Collins. He was one of four children with William (1857), Amelia (1859), and Charles (1865).

The family lived in Fremantle and John was educated locally. After leaving school he took up employment with the WA Government railways.

In 1903 he was living in Mason Street North Fremantle.

In 1910 John married Cecilia Donoghue in Perth though they had been together for over twenty years as they had three children, Cecilia born in 1890, Roderick in 1892 and Joseph in 1894. They lived in Ainslie Road North Fremantle but then moved for a few years to West Midland near the Railway workshops, near to where he worked as a Locomotive Driver, but after his enlistment the family moved back to Ainslie Road North Fremantle.

On the 17th January 1916 John successfully enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. The medical examiner recorded John's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 5 inches tall;

Weight - 120lbs;

Chest Measurement - 34-36 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Fair.

Upon his successful enlistment John was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. After a short time in the infantry training depot, John was assigned to the 2nd Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next several weeks.

On the 17th April 1916 John and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Aeneas and set sail for Egypt. They arrived in Egypt in May 1916 and John was initially sent to the reinforcement camp. On the 31st May 1916 John was transferred into the 51st Battalion.

A week later on the 5th June 1916 the 51st Battalion departed from Egypt aboard the transport ship Ivernia. The ship then set sail for France, reaching Marseilles on the 13th June 1916.

After reaching France the men were disembarked and entrained north where they reached the Armentieres region. They had their first experience of the Western Front in this sector but after a few weeks they were transferred to the Somme battlefield.

On the 31st July 1916 John fell ill and was sent to a rest camp but was only away for a few days and then rejoined his unit in time for their first major action.

On the 14th/15th August 1916 the 51st Battalion had their first attack between Pozieres and Mouquet Farm. In the early stages of the attack John was hit in the thigh with shrapnel. He was evacuated to the field ambulance where his wound was patched up and was then sent on to Etaples where he was admitted to No.26 General Hospital.

Fortunately the wound was not severe and on the 1st September 1916 he was released from hospital and was sent to the 4th Australian Division Base Depot. After a few weeks at the base, John rejoined the 51st Battalion on the 24th September 1916. By now the Battalion was in Belgium on the Ypres front.

John was only with them for a week when he fell ill with mumps. He was sent to the 7th General Hospital at St Omer but then returned to the 51st Battalion on the 21st October 1916.

The unit then returned to the Somme battlefield where they were to undergo a very cold French winter. John was fortunate, as, on the 3rd December 1916 he was detached for duty with the 4th Divisional School. He remained with them for five months and on the 29th April 1917 was transferred to the 1st Anzac Corps School.

On the 21st July 1917 John was then transferred to the 2nd Anzac Corps School. He had another few months there but on the 26th September 1917 was returned to the 51st Battalion.

He served with his unit through the Third Battle of Ypres in October 1917. He survived this action and on the 8th November 1917 was granted a two week furlough to England.

He returned to his unit on the 25th November 1917. The 51st Battalion were then sent to Peronne in December 1917 before returning to Ypres in January 1918. They would be holding the front-line positions southeast of Ypres near Hollebeke.

On the 24th March 1918 John was evacuated ill and was diagnosed with lumbago. He was sent to the 30th General Hospital at Calais and from there to a rest camp.

On the 28th April 1918 John was returned to England. Due to his lumbago he was being sent home. On the 17th June 1918 he boarded the transport ship Matatua and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 5th August 1918.

John was discharged from the AIF on the 4th September 1918. He then returned to the family home in Ainslie Road North Fremantle. He then resumed work for the WA Government Railways.

John became involved in the Returned and Services League Northeast Fremantle branch.

John and Cecilia soon moved to Coventry Parade North Fremantle.

John Augustine Collins died at Leighton on the 5th August 1942 aged 71. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.