Charles Edward-Collins

Charles Edward Edward-Collins
Born	28 May 1881 Bodmin, Cornwall
Died	21 November 1967 (aged 86) Bodmin, Cornwall
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army (1900–09) British Indian Army (1909–40)
Years of service	1900–1940
Rank	Major-General
Commands held	Director of Supplies and Transport, India (1937–40)
Battles/wars	Second Boer War Abor Expedition First World War Persian Campaign Second World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire Mentioned in Despatches (2)
Relations	Admiral Sir Frederick Edward-Collins (brother)
Other work	High Sheriff of Cornwall (1955)

Major-General Charles Edward Edward-Collins, CB, CIE (28 May 1881 – 21 November 1967) was a British Indian Army officer.^[1]

Early life and marriage

Edward-Collins was born in Bodmin, Cornwall, the son of Edward Charles Edward-Collins, a local landowner, and his wife, Eleanor Mary (née Alms). His younger brother was Frederick Edward-Collins, who became an admiral in the Royal Navy. He was educated at Marlborough College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

In 1907, Edward-Collins married Nora Mabel de la Cour Corbett. They had two sons and three daughters. She died in 1952.

Career

Edward-Collins was commissioned a second lieutenant in the North Staffordshire Regiment in February 1900,^[2] transferring to the Devonshire Regiment the following month.^[3] He served in the Second Boer War from 1900 to 1902 and was promoted to lieutenant in November 1901.^[4] In January 1907, he was seconded to the Indian Army's Supply and Transport Corps (later the Indian Army Service Corps),^[5] and transferred permanently in October 1909.^[6] He served in the Abor Expedition (against the residents of the Abor Hills) in 1911 to 1912, for which he was mentioned in despatches and promoted to brevet major in June 1912.^[7]

He was promoted substantive major in February 1915^[8] and served with the Bushire Field Force in Persia in 1918 to 1919, for which he was again mentioned in despatches and appointed Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in January 1920.^[9] In November 1923, he was appointed an assistant director of transport at the Headquarters, Army in India,^[10] in which post he served until March 1926.^[11] He was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel in June 1924.^[12]

He then served as commandant of the Indian Army Service Corps Training Establishment until May 1930^[13] and in May 1930 was promoted colonel.^[14] He served as deputy director of transport at the Headquarters, Army in India until September 1933,^[15] when he was appointed deputy director of supplies and transport for the Army in India,^[16] serving in the post (with the temporary rank of brigadier^[17]) until September 1937.^[18] He was appointed Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the King in September 1935,^[19] holding the position until September 1937,^[20] and Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1937 Coronation Honours of King George VI.^[21] He was promoted major-general in September 1937,^[22] retired from the Indian Army in September 1940^[23] and returned to his ancestral home at Trewardale, near Blisland. He commanded the North Cornwall Group of the Home Guard from 1942 to 1945 and served as High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1955.^[24]

References

1. Who Was Who
2. The London Gazette: no. 27167. p. 1174. 20 February 1900.
3. The London Gazette: no. 27170. p. 1434. 2 March 1900.
4. The London Gazette: no. 27427. p. 2691. 22 April 1902.
5. The London Gazette: no. 27987. p. 396. 18 January 1907.
6. The London Gazette: no. 28338. p. 1046. 11 February 1910.
7. The London Gazette: no. 28638. p. 6282. 23 August 1912.
8. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30011. p. 3337. 6 April 1917.
9. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31764. p. 1379. 30 January 1920.
10. The London Gazette: no. 33166. p. 3463. 28 May 1926.
11. The London Gazette: no. 33166. p. 3464. 28 May 1926.
12. The London Gazette: no. 32953. p. 5164s. 4 July 1924.
13. The London Gazette: no. 33639. p. 5364. 29 August 1930.
14. The London Gazette: no. 33638. p. 5296. 26 August 1930.
15. The London Gazette: no. 33992. p. 7110. 3 November 1933.
16. The London Gazette: no. 33992. p. 7111. 3 November 1933.
17. The London Gazette: no. 33995. p. 7372. 14 November 1933.
18. The London Gazette: no. 34456. p. 7268. 19 November 1937.
19. The London Gazette: no. 34199. p. 5862. 17 September 1935.
20. The London Gazette: no. 34477. p. 585. 28 January 1938.
21. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 34396. p. 3079. 11 May 1937.
22. The London Gazette: no. 34443. p. 6306. 12 October 1937.
23. The London Gazette: no. 35003. p. 6813. 29 November 1940.
24. The London Gazette: no. 40417. p. 1169. 25 February 1955.