The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private T J Collyer

Private Thomas James COLLYER, L/7940, 1st Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, died 23rd October 1918, age 32.

Born Peckham, London, Surrey, son of Henry Frederick & Jane Collyer, 7 Batchelors Hall Place, Blue Anchor Lane, Peckham, London, Surrey.

Previously served in 3rd Battalion, Special Reserve, Royal West Kent Regiment.

Enlisted 8th November 1904, New Cross, Kent, age 18, height 5ft 4¾ inches, weight 112lbs. (After 6 months service and gymnastics - 5ft 4 inches, 125lbs). Resided 20 Blue Anchor Lane, Peckham, London, Surrey. Formerly printers labourer.

1911 Census - India - Military - Thomas James Collyer, Private, age 24, single, 2nd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, Soldier, born Peckham, London.

2nd August 1914, Parish Church, All Saints, Peckham, Thomas James Collyer, bachelor, age 29, labourer, of 52 Cator Street, Peckham, father, Henry Frederick Collyer, painter, married Caroline Ainsley, widow, age 32, of 52 Cator Street, Peckham, father, Charles Henry Silston, retired.

Child - Henry Francis Ainsley, born 3rd November 1913, Camberwell. Regarded as stepson.

Home, 8th November 1904 to 26th September 1905; Malta, 27th September 1905 to 11th November 1906; Singapore, 12th November 1906 to 6th December 1908; India, 7th December 1908 to 8th November 1912; Home, 9th November 1912 to 13th August 1914; BEF, 14th August 1914 to 27th April 1915; Home, 28th April 1915 to 30th July 1915.

8th November 1904, enlisted and posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 11th February 1905, posted Provisional Battalion; 27th September 1905, posted 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 7th July 1906?, awarded Swimming Certificate;1st October 1906, examined and found fit for Service in Singapore; 12th November 1906, posted 2nd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 11th May 1908, awarded 3rd Class Certificate of Education; 18th September 1909 to 22nd November 1909, Le Bong, severe fever, delirious part of the time, close examination negative, much debilitated, came from Barrackapore; 28th February 1910 to 7th January 1911, Peshawar Hospital, eczema; 21st March 1911 to 25th March, Peshawar Hospital; August 1911, passed Sanitation Class of Instruction; 15th July 1912 to 19th July 1912, Peshawar Hospital sand fly fever; 30th September 1912, Peshawar Hospital; 9th November 1912, transferred to Army Reserve; 5th August 1914, mobilized; 6th August 1914, posted 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 14th August 1914, posted BEF; 7th April 1915, Ypres, Belgium, wounded, gun shot wound head.

9th July 1915, Exeter, Medical Report - Gun shot wound to skull with laceration of the brain. The man states that whilst on active service at Ypres, Belgium, 7th April 1915, he received a bullet wound to the skull. Speech was destroyed and paresis of the right arm and right leg resulted. Spastic gait, exaggerated knee jerks. Condition permanent.

30th July 1915, discharged as "no longer physically fit for War Service" due to wounds. Silver War Badge issued

At time of discharge - age 29 years & 3 months, height 5ft 6½ inches, ruddy complexion, grey eyes, auburn hair. Tattoo, flower, bird & anchor & bracelet left forearm. I love true, flower, horses, head & heart pierced, right forearm. Gun shot wound to skull.

Pension of 25/- a week for 52 weeks conditional; 24th July 1916, pension of 20/- week and 2/6 a week for one child, expires 30th January 1917; 4th December 1916, pension of 20/- week and 2/6 a week for one child, expires 30th July 1917; 16th June 1917, increase current award to 22/- a week and 4/- a week for one child, from 4th April 1917, then 13/9 a week and 2/6 for one child, also to have 2/6 a week for one child 2nd August 1915 to 30th July 1919, expires 29th January 1918; 28th November 1917, 13/9 a week and 2/6 for one child for 14 weeks, expires 7th May 1918; 24th April 1918, 13/9 a week and 2/6 for one child for 52 weeks, expires 6th May 1919.

23rd October 1918, pensioner deceased.

Buried at Camberwell Old Cemetery, 85. 25512. & commemorated on the Screen Wall., United Kingdom.

CWGC Notes - This cemetery contains 291 First World War burials. The war graves plot is in the north-east corner of the cemetery and contains two screen walls. One commemorates almost 160 casualties buried in the plot, the other bears the names of those buried in the remaining war graves scattered throughout the cemetery that could not be individually marked. The war graves plot also contains a group of special memorials to the 14 casualties of the Second World War buried in the cemetery.

NOTE: not included in Regimental History or Soldiers Died in the Great War; but show on CWGC web site.

This page was last updated on 23-Jan-2018.