246298 Pte. William Edwin Collier British Army 1st Btn. Grenadier Guards from:Bristol William Collier was born in about 1876 in Bristol. He attested for Short Service in 1900 and served in the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards in the Second Boer War. For his service there, he was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with the Cape Colony and South Africa 1902 clasps. In May 1903, he transferred to The 1st Class Army Reserve.
On 5th of August 1914, at London, he was mobilized into the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Per his Medal Rolls Index Card, Pte. Collier's qualifying date for the 1914 Star was 12th of November 1914, there was no notation that indicated qualification for Clasp and Roses, but serving in a line unit, it is very likely that Pte. Collier would have been under fire from German mobile artillery prior to the midnight 22nd November cut-off date. If so, he would have probably qualified for this distinction, but he may have never applied for this. In addition to the 1914 Star, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
According to records, Hewas discharged from the Grenadier Guards on 28th of May 1919, but he attested to the 53rd Company, Labour Corps the next day, 29th of May 1919. His service number in the Labour Corps was 695795. Pte. Collier was discharged from C Coy, Eastern Command Labour Centre on 29th of March 1920.
Research sources included British Army Pension Records, UK Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 (2nd Boer War), UK WW1 Medal Rolls Index Card, 1914-1920 and UK WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920. Lastly, it is highly possible that Pte. Collier would have participated in the unofficial 1914 Christmas Truce.
|