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Mar 3, 1892
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Born in
Smethwick, England
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Nov 12, 1914
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Attested into
the 21st Battalion in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Number 59187 (temporary number 291)
Ø Next of kin given as William Collett, father, Smethwick, England
Ø Previous occupation given as Farmer
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Wesleyan
Ø Assigned to “C” Company
o This was later reorganized into “B” Company
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS
Metagama in Montreal, Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked in
Devonport, England and the battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St
Seiriol in Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked in
Boulogne, France and the battalion proceeded to St. Omer
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Sep 15, 1916
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After surviving
exactly 1 year in the front lines of France, Private Collett was killed in action during
the advance on a sugar refinery at Courcelette. He
was buried on a hill near Courcelette and the location was recorded. However when the war ended, his remains could not
be found and he was to be commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, Vimy Ridge,
France.
However,
after an exhaustive search of the names there, it appears that his name was not engraved
on the wall. The webmaster has contacted the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission to inform them of the omission.
Following the
war the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and
Scroll were sent to his father, William Collett, 48 Edward St., Langley Green, Birmingham,
England
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