Sidney Collier

Sidney was the son of Reverand Samuel F. and Mary Rushforth Collier. He was born in 1895, educated at Epworth College, Rhyl and was employed by Messrs. Tootal, Broadhurst, Lee and Co. He was a member of the University Officer Training Corps from August 1914 to September 1914. In October 1914 Sidney joined the 6th Battalion Manchester Regiment as an officer and went to Egpyt in 1915. He served at Gallipoli where he was wounded, mentioned in despatches twice and awarded a Military Cross. After the end of the Gallipoli campaign he spent time in Palestine before going to France in 1917. In late 1917 he joined the Royal Flying Corps and returned to England to train. Sidney went back to France in March 1918 and was killed on 28th of that month serving as an observer in a RE8 aircraft which crashed after being in combat. In a letter to his parents an officer of the squadron wrote “Your son… won our esteem by his unceasing efforts to do his ‘job’. He and his pilot were brought down on patrol on the morning of March 28. They were attacked by a formation of enemy machines, and in spite of a very gallant fight were forced to descend. I am happy to say that they managed to destroy one enemy aeroplane. That was splendid , and they most certainly upheld the traditions of Britain to the last”. His brother, Samuel, had died just 6 days earlier.