Can you help with Gt Granddad please

[Ed the Cat]

I’m told you guys are good at finding information out (creep creep).

I’m trying to find out what happened to my Gt Grandfather Henry James Collier.

He was born in 1875 in Fulham.

In 1897 he married Susan Elizabeth May in Farnham. On the wedding certificate it gives his occupation as Gunner RHA. On the 1901 census he is back in London and is now a Carman.

On the census record it states that daughter Lilian was born in Ipswich in 1899.

From family rumour it was said that my Granddad had a brother who was buried in Ipswich cemetery. This rumour I have found to be true. Henry Jnr was born 1897 in Ipswich and was buried in Ipswich in 1899.

Around 1918ish daughter Elsie married and in her wedding photograph are both my Gt Grandparents and my Granddad (who was born in 1911) Gt Granddad (Henry James) is wearing a uniform and he seems to have two stripes.

From a photo (both of which I have posted on this site) Gt Granddad is on his own outside some barracks somewhere, this time he has three stripes. I’m trying to find out.

1.   What regiment was he in – from his cap badge – I think that he was in the Queens (Royal West Surrey) Regiment.

2.   Did he go to Ipswich with his regiment and de-mob and then return to London

3.   Did he re-join the army and a different regiment from that on his wedding certificate as some older men did when the First World War stated. I understand that such old soldiers re-enlisted and by doing so obtained a higher rank.


4.   What was his service number – I have found one solider that might fit him but I’m not sure if it is –


Henry Collier –

The Queens Regiment Service number 19248 Sergeant

Labour Corps Regiment Service number 67206 – Sergeant

If this is him why is there no record of his previous service or is that kept somewhere else? Gt Granddad died in 1931 and he is buried in Finchley Cemetery from whom I’m still waiting for a reply to see if there is an inscription on the head – should there be one.

Any help much appreciated as always

Ed