sand
Private
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Post by sand on Sept 17, 2013 20:27:01 GMT
As part of my research into my family tree I am trying to find more information about my great-grandfather Sergeant Thomas John Collins, born in Rochdale 6 Jan 1855 died 7 July 1916 on the Somme serving in the 12 Batt. Manchester Regiment, his number 5549. He lived with my great-grandmother and their 6 children in a 2-up 2-down in Rice Street, Salford. I know there is a plaque with his name on it on the Thiepval Memorial but all I have found in this country is a 3-line report in a paper listing him as missing in action on what it now given as his date of death. I would like to know on which memorial his death was commemorated and if it still exists so if anyone can help, or point me in the right direction, I would be very grateful.
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Post by shred on Sept 17, 2013 21:04:01 GMT
Hello sand.
Welcome to the forums. It would seem that we haven't found Thomas' name on any of the memorials that we have listed to date. I will make a note to contact you if his name appears in the future.
Do you know where the three line newspaper report was found? If it was not from the Salford Reporter I will try and find some extra information the next time I visit the Salford Local History Library.
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Post by shred on Sept 17, 2013 21:14:43 GMT
Are you sure about his date of birth? The 1911 census shows a Thomas J Collins living at 3 Rice St as being born about 1878. If his year of birth was 1855 he would have been 61 years of age when he was killed.
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Post by shred on Sept 17, 2013 21:37:47 GMT
If I have the correct Thomas? I see that he was married at St Mattias:
COLLINS Thomas J EDMONDSON Arabella 1901 Salford St Matthias Salford Lancashire C34/3/306
His name may have been on the St Matthias' memorial which was lost when the church was demolished in the 1950's.
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sand
Private
Posts: 2
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Post by sand on Sept 18, 2013 16:20:39 GMT
Hello Shred, Thanks for your interest. My apologies on the birth date, 1855 was when his father was born. You do have the correct Thomas an d details of his marriage at St Matthias. The notice of his missing was listed in the Manchester Evening News on 11 Aug 1916 and just reads:
"Sergeant THOMAS JOHN COLLINS (39), (5549), Manchester Regiment; missing July 7. Wife: 3, Rice-street, Adelphi, Salford."
Not a lot is it? It's very sad that the war memorial at St Matthias was destroyed when the church was.
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Post by shred on Sept 25, 2013 19:24:06 GMT
Sand,
I have not forgotten this. I am sorry to report that I have been unable to visit the Salford History Library as it has been closed due to illness, it will remain closed until, at least, the 1st of October.
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Post by shred on Oct 2, 2013 20:02:26 GMT
The following pieces were published on the 6th Oct 1916.   |
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Post by shred on Oct 3, 2015 14:04:27 GMT
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Post by stalagxx1b on Oct 8, 2015 22:02:38 GMT
Hello Sand, thought you may be interested to know that a book dedicated to the activities of the 12th Battalion Manchester Regiment is available to purchase from The Museum of the Manchesters which is located in Ashton-u-Lyne. The Roll of Honour at the back lists Sgt. Thomas John Collins, and on p.9-10, there are accounts of the 12th's activities which actually took place on the 7th July 1916. It states 16 officers and 539 men fell that day. The text also states that "the gallantry of all ranks was such that the traditions of the regiment were never better sustained than on 7th July 1916". My wife's grandfather Pte. A Wakes belonged to the 12th Manchesters also, and fell in August 1918; hence our interest in the 12th. Hope this info is helpful to you?
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Post by prospectroad on Jan 12, 2017 16:49:46 GMT
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