Engineer-Lieutenant Reginald Charles COLLINS, R.N.R.

Died in hospital 26 November 1918

Ian Valentine based on research by Mary Norris & Congregational Church Board and Notes of 'Lives Lost at Sea 1914-1918'

The CWGC headstone for Engineer Lieutenant RN Reginald Collins who is buried in the Wivenhoe New Cemetery
Photograph by Peter Hill

Engineer-Lieutenant Reginald Charles Collins † Royal Naval Reserve.  Mentioned in Despatches.

He was born in 1889 in Burwood, Sydney, Australia, the son of Charles P. and Florence Agnes Ferguson.  Husband of Sybil Alice Collins,   9, Rectory Road.  He served on H.M. Minesweeper Quadrille.   

John Collins says: “HMS Quadrille was a shallow draft minesweeper built in September 1917, and sold 1919.  As she was not sunk, she may have been damaged by a mine during a post-war clear-up, or he may have suffered an accident – possibly he died of the Spanish ‘flu or some other disease.”

Reginald Collins died on 26th November 1918 in St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, aged 28.  His funeral was reported in the Essex Newsman on 7th December 1918.  He is not named on the Wivenhoe War Memorial nor in MoD records.  He was buried on 5th December 1918 in Wivenhoe New Cemetery, Grave location C.258/259.

The CWGC Headstone in Portland stone is Inscribed : “ENGINEER LIEUTENANT RNR/ R.C. COLLINS/ H.M.S. QUADRILLE/ 26TH NOVEMBER 1918   AGE 28”.

This page was added on 20/11/2015.

Comments about this page

  • Sybil was my maternal great aunt. A formidable lady. I heard this story from my mother.

    By Maxwell Blake (22/02/2023)
  • Thank you Sally W for the information on R.Collins.
    I have a lovely photo taken of Reginald when he was 4 years old. He is very well dressed and the pic is taken at Elite Studio 53 Hunter St. Newcastle (Charleston could be the studio name) the reverse gives his full name then born at burswood July 14th 1889 to the side is the date 1893. Which is how I gather he’s 4.. my email is all lower case kiwi1@aapt.net.au

    By Keith godfrey (12/05/2022)
  • Chelmsford Chronicle 6 Dec 1918:
    “DEATH TEN DAYS AFTER MARRIAGE
    The funeral of Engineer-Lieut. Collins commander of HM minesweeper Quadrille, took place with naval honours at Wivenhoe on Saturday. This young officer was married only ten days before his death, and was taken ill while leaving the church. he was conveyed at once to hospital, where, after a brief illness, he succumbed to pneumonia following influenza”

    By Sally W (12/02/2019)

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