15501 Lance Corporal Arthur William Collinson, 17th Bn The King's Liverpool Regiment

Arthur William Collinson was born on 9th December 1892 in Liverpool and Christened at St Clement’s Church, Toxteth on May 16th 1894 along with his sister Ethel. The baptism record shows that his parents were Stanley and Helen Collinson of 113 Lodge Lane. Stanley’s occupation was ‘manager’.

At the time of the 1901 census, Arthur was 9 years old and living with his parents, his older half-brother Stanley (a hairdresser) and his three sisters; Helen, Ethel, and Hilda. They were all living at 50 Lime Grove, Liverpool. His father’s occupation was ‘portmanteau maker’.

In the 1911 census Arthur was 19 years old living with his parents and working as a paint manufacturer’s clerk. His father’s occupation was a ‘trunk and umbrella repairer’

Arthur enlisted in the first week of September 1914 as Private No 15501 in the 17th Battalion King's (Liverpool) Regt [1st Liverpool Pals]. At the time of his enlistment he was employed in the offices of Messrs Goodlass, Wall & Co (paint and varnish manufacturers) of Seel St, Liverpool.

Arthur crossed to France with his Battalion on 7th Nov 1915. All that is known of his military service is that he was given 3 days Field Punishment No 1 for falling out on in line of march without permission on 12th Feb 1916 and that he was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 27th May 1916.

Arthur Collinson was killed in action on 30th July 1916 whilst serving with ‘B’ Company of the 17th Battalion, in the Battle of Guillemont.

The newspaper notice below was printed in the Liverpool Echo on 25th August 1916. It says:

POPULAR WITH ATHLETES

Mr S. W. Collinson of 50 Lime Grove, Lodge-Lane, has received official notification that his son, Lance-corporal Arthur W Collinson, has been killed in action. Prior to joining the "Pals" in September 1914 he was employed on the office staff of Messrs Goodlass, Wall, and Co Ltd, Seel-street, Liverpool. He was twenty four years of age and a great favourite in athletic circles.

The Battalion Diary for the day Arthur was killed doesn't give many details:

4pm 29.7.16

Battalion moved up to assembly positions for attack on German system of trenches from GUILLEMONT exclusive to FALFEMONT FARM inclusive.

4.45 a.m. 30.7.16

zero hour. The battalion was in support to 19th and 20th Battalions of the King's Liverpool Regiment. Two Companies behind 19th and two Companies behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns. Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained and consolidated all along our front.

The battle for Guillemont was a vital and difficult assignment, relying on flanking attacks to either side by the French and the 89th Brigade. If either flanking attack failed, the Pals would have been left exposed to enfilading fire from both flanks, if the Pals failed the French and the 89th would have been exposed. This was all part of a wider battle plan and, when "zero hour" arrived on the 30th and the battlefield was shrouded in thick fog, the attack couldn't be postponed and the 17th, 19th and 20th Battalions of the King's Liverpool Regiment had to go out into the fog, across unknown, open fields, into heavy enemy machine-gun fire.

The combined casualty lists of the 17th, 19th and 20th Battalions for this day show 42 officers and 1063 other ranks were killed, wounded or missing. The 17th Battalion alone lost 15 officers and 281 other ranks, including Lance-corporal Arthur Collinson.

The photograph below shows the 17th Battalion on church parade in July 1916, shortly before the attack, one of these men is Arthur Collinson.

Lance Corporal Arthur William Collinson has no known grave but his name is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial in France.

Thiepval Memorial (copyright CWGC.org)

Arthur's family received a pension of 5 shillings a week from 27th Feb 1917 which was collected by his father until his death on 21st June 1924 and then reverted to Arthur's Mother Helen.