Frank Collins - second photo

[loord74]

b.w one

[Special Needs Girl]

Sorry about the delay in replying Jim1 but batteries had died. Terrible that we rely on technology so much these days.
However it is a Godsend because otherwise where would we be with FH etc.

Anyway Francis Collins served with the 3rd Batallion, The Welsh Regiment and his number was 9828.
He received the King's South African Medal in 1902.

I can't find a number for his WW1 service. I have found his records but they are badly damaged. By now he is Frank.
He uses both names sometimes!

My husband believes he may have been a regular soldier originally.  His parents had both died and he came to Wales via London.

He had a brother Robert who was born in 1866 but I no longer subscribe to FindMyPast so can't access that record to see anything. I doubt he served with the Welch Regiment though because they were from Ireland and from what we have found only Francis Frank came to Wales.

SNG

[Special Needs Girl]

Thank you Loord74.

As there were no coloured photographs of soldiers it is nice to see what he would have actually looked like.

I just wish I was as talented as all you experts.

Thanks again to everyone.
Pam

[jim1]

OK. This man doesn't have the Fleur-de-Lis cap badge of the Welsh Regt.
This man is RE.

[jim1]

I have just found records on ancestry for him in WW1

What records did you find & can you give a link to it ?
Ancestry service records doesn't have a Frank Collins Welsh regiment however there is a Frank Collins RE.
He married a Mary Swaffield in 1891.
Ring any bells?
A bit of extra info. This Frank Collins first went into a Railway Construction Coy. & then on to a Road & Quarry Coy.
He states in civvy life he was a water pipe jointer which looks pretty similar to what your man is doing in the photo.
He worked for Neath Corporation for 1 1/2 years by 1917.
He didn't undergo the usual basic training & was sent to France pretty much straight away which gives the impression he had previous service.
Unless there are 2 Frank Collins' pipe jointers working in Neath I'd say this is your man.
Service record:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lir/
MIC:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lis/
SWB Roll:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lit/

[Special Needs Girl]

Hi Jim1,

Yes Ancestry is where Frank Collins' WW1 military records have been found. It was another member of the family who informed me that they were on there and provided me with copies. I then checked on ancestry for myself.

Yes Frank married Mary Swaffield but he was known by Frank and Francis then. On my husband's grandmother's birth certificate he actually says he is Francis Frank.
However, when baptised in 1870, he was Francis Collins. He was born in Londonderry.

My husband is very grateful for the links to Frank's War Medal and Silver Badge Medal. I had not found these on ancestry.
The first link you provided is the same as the WW1 records another member of the family sent him.

My husband is also asking how you have found all his employment details. Is there a site which one can access this from?
We have also found prison records for him on ancestry! He owed debts.
Obviously times were really hard and he couldn't pay so enjoyed a bit of time at HMP.
He gives his occupation on one of the occasions and working in the quarry so your details match that.

I did have a subscription for both ancestry and FindMyPast but only have ancestry at the moment.
There is a link to Frank being in the Chelsea hospital on ancestry but the link is to another site for which there is payment. There are seven days for free but I want to check a number of people first in case there will be more ancestors details on there too.
I know Frank's brother Robert is in the same hospital but his military records are on FindMyPast so it's off to the library for those now.

My husband likes paper copies of everything and I've given up saving on the computer. I only have a basic tree for him on ancestry - the trunk naming parents each time, in the hope of DNA matches.
I will take a picture of the Boar War information and post it in my next message for you. Bear with me while I go through his many files! He is an historian and everything is in family name in date order etc.

Thank you once again for the links you gave me. It is very much appreciated.
I haven't looked up for a number of ancestors to see what new information is available for some time. These records are great.
He's now asking me to check up other family members!

Best wishes
Pam

[jim1]

His employment details are on his service record.

[Special Needs Girl]

Thanks Jim1.  He's scrutinising the records now.

I am trying to send Frank's Boar War records but the images are too big. 

I have tried making them smaller but I'm using an ipad at the moment and it's not working.  I'll get the laptop out later and post using that.
Sorry.
SNG

[Special Needs Girl]

Hi Jim1

Here is Francis / Frank's Boar War records as promised.  Sorry for the delay.
Pam