LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Private Louis Collis
8th Bn Bedfordshire Regiment
Town Memorial P2.R2.C1.
Pte
Louis Collis
8th Bedfordshire Regt
Lille
May 5 1917
The Parish magazine issue of May 1915 lists A. Collis and L. Collis as serving in the 5th. East Surrey (T). (1)
The Parish magazine issue June 1917 records the death of Louis Collis. It said that he belonged to the 27th Bedfordshires [sic] and that he died on 5th of May 1917, from wounds received on 15 April 1917. It gave a little about his background stating that he had previously been employed as a Gardener at Peaslake.
The Regimental records of the Bedfordshires give his name as Louis Collis, serving as No. 33256, private, in the 8th. Bn. of the regiment. They confirm that he died of wounds on 5 May 1917. He had actually been born in Cheam and had enlisted at Guildford (Peaslake).
Previously he had served as No.30443 in the Essex Regiment (2).
In May 1917, Lille was well behind the the lines in German occupied territory. However there is no mention in the parish magazine of Louis Collis having died in enemy hands, whilst the regimental record simply gives “France and Flanders“.
The reference for the War Diary of the 8th. Bn. Bedfordshires in the Public Record Office is W095–1611.
Notes on sources
1. Parish magazine of St. Mary and St Nicholas, Leatherhead, issues of May 1915 and June 1917.
2. Soldiers who Died in the Great War (Bedfordshire regiment), Imperial War Museum, Lambeth.
Further research
PrivateCOLLIS, LOUIS
Service Number 33256
Died 05/05/1917
Aged 32
8th Bn.
Bedfordshire Regiment
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Collis, of 6, Highlands Rd., Leatherhead, Surrey;
husband of Emily Collis, of 6, Tannery Cottages, Gomshall, Guildford.
INSCRIPTION: HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS SOUNDS IN A BELIEVER'S EAR
Buried at LILLERS COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Location: Pas de Calais, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: V. D. 19.
The Leatherhead Parish Magazine of May 1915 lists Louis and his brother Albert as being in 5th. East Surrey (Territorials). He enlisted at Guildford (Peaslake), initially serving as No.30443 in the Essex Regiment, very likely being transferred to the Bedfordshires before being sent abroad.
The 8 Bn Bedfordshire Regiment's War Diary for April 1917 describes what his unit was doing in the last few days of Louis' life and in particular the 15th April when he was severely wounded:
"10 Apr 1917 In billets. Coys training in
the attack as laid down In SS143. Casualties 2 O.R. wounded.
11 Apr 1917 In billets. Coys close order drill and rifle exercises. Too wet for attack practice.
12 Apr 1917 In billets. Coys close order drill and rifle exercises. Too wet for attack practice.
13 Apr 1917 In billets. Coys practising new formations for attack (S.S.143). Enemy reported retiring from trenches near DOUBLE CRASSIER. battn ordered to move to reserve line.
14 Apr 1917 - trenches between Vermelles and Grenay In trenches between VERMELLES - GRENAY in Bde Reserve.
15 Apr 1917 In trenches between VERMELLES - GRENAY in Bde Reserve. At noon orders issued for battn to attack in conjunction with 1/The Buffs. Battn moved up to south of LOOS under heavy hostile barrage and finally occupied position in prolongation south of LOOS CRASSIER. C & A Coy firing line, B & D in Support. Casualties 28 O.R. wounded.
16 Apr 1917 - After artillery bombardment C & A Coy bombed their way to first objective & consolidated. Bn on our left failed to reach this and retired on former position. Both C & A Coys flank were in the air, but despite this and enemy bombing attacks they maintained all ground gained. Casualties 2 OR killed & 17 wounded."
11 Apr 1917 In billets. Coys close order drill and rifle exercises. Too wet for attack practice.
12 Apr 1917 In billets. Coys close order drill and rifle exercises. Too wet for attack practice.
13 Apr 1917 In billets. Coys practising new formations for attack (S.S.143). Enemy reported retiring from trenches near DOUBLE CRASSIER. battn ordered to move to reserve line.
14 Apr 1917 - trenches between Vermelles and Grenay In trenches between VERMELLES - GRENAY in Bde Reserve.
15 Apr 1917 In trenches between VERMELLES - GRENAY in Bde Reserve. At noon orders issued for battn to attack in conjunction with 1/The Buffs. Battn moved up to south of LOOS under heavy hostile barrage and finally occupied position in prolongation south of LOOS CRASSIER. C & A Coy firing line, B & D in Support. Casualties 28 O.R. wounded.
16 Apr 1917 - After artillery bombardment C & A Coy bombed their way to first objective & consolidated. Bn on our left failed to reach this and retired on former position. Both C & A Coys flank were in the air, but despite this and enemy bombing attacks they maintained all ground gained. Casualties 2 OR killed & 17 wounded."
In April 1918, the Germans advanced as far as Robecq; Lillers came under shell-fire, and the units holding this front continued to bury beyond the cemetery boundary, in the extension. The COMMUNAL CEMETERY contains 894 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 67 of which are unidentified. There are also 15 German graves in the Commonwealth plots. The EXTENSION contains 71 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, six of them unidentified.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 12 May 1917
LEATHERHEAD AND THE WAR DEATH OF PTE. L. COLLIS.
The news also reached Leatherhead on Wednesday that Pte. Louis, second son Mr. and Mrs. Collis, of Highlands-road, Leatherhead, had succumbed to his injuries in France on the previous Saturday. Pte. Hollis, who was in the Bedford Regiment, had been in the Army just about year. On April 15th he was struck in the chest by a shell and sustained severe injuries. It was found impossible to bring him to England, and he passed away on Saturday last.
Deceased who was 31 years of age, was well-known in Leatherhead, although for some time latterly he had been in employment as a gardener at Peaslake. He leaves a widow and a young family of two. At the present time Mr. and Mrs. Collis have two sons serving in India, one in Mesopotamia, and another who is in Australia.
Leatherhead Parish Magazine June 1917
FOR KING AND COUNTRY.
Louis Collis, 27th Bn. [sic] Bedford Regiment, died on May 5th of wounds received in action in France on April 15th, 1917. He was latterly gardener at Peaslake, Surrey.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 29 December 1917
The list which present has been compiled from the names that have been recorded in our Columns during the past year....
MAY
COLLIS, Pte. L., Bedfordshire Regt., died from wounds, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Collis, Highlands-road, Leatherhead.
Saturday 12 May 1917
LEATHERHEAD AND THE WAR DEATH OF PTE. L. COLLIS.
The news also reached Leatherhead on Wednesday that Pte. Louis, second son Mr. and Mrs. Collis, of Highlands-road, Leatherhead, had succumbed to his injuries in France on the previous Saturday. Pte. Hollis, who was in the Bedford Regiment, had been in the Army just about year. On April 15th he was struck in the chest by a shell and sustained severe injuries. It was found impossible to bring him to England, and he passed away on Saturday last.
Deceased who was 31 years of age, was well-known in Leatherhead, although for some time latterly he had been in employment as a gardener at Peaslake. He leaves a widow and a young family of two. At the present time Mr. and Mrs. Collis have two sons serving in India, one in Mesopotamia, and another who is in Australia.
Leatherhead Parish Magazine June 1917
FOR KING AND COUNTRY.
Louis Collis, 27th Bn. [sic] Bedford Regiment, died on May 5th of wounds received in action in France on April 15th, 1917. He was latterly gardener at Peaslake, Surrey.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 29 December 1917
The list which present has been compiled from the names that have been recorded in our Columns during the past year....
MAY
COLLIS, Pte. L., Bedfordshire Regt., died from wounds, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Collis, Highlands-road, Leatherhead.
His life
Louis was born on 30 December 1884 at Cheam, Surrey and baptised at St Dunstan's Church, Cheam on 15 February 1885.His father was Walter Collis, born Wootton, Surrey 28 May 1858, died 17 November 1930, Leatherhead, Surrey. He was a House Painter.
His mother was Ellen, née Pelling, born Ockley, Surrey 1 November 1857, died 29 December 1923, Leatherhead, Surrey.
They were married on 12 August 1882 at Holy Trinity, Brompton, London, both giving addresses in Ennismore Gardens. He was a Coachman and she a Servant.
Louis' siblings were Ralph, Albert, Walter, Lorraine, Edith, Edwin and Athelstan (who died in infancy). The family home (from his parent's Probate records) was 12 Highlands Road, Leatherhead.
| The
marriage of Louis and Emily Edwards was at St John the
Evangelist's, Wotton, Surrey on 19 February 1910. He was described
as a Gardener. Emily was born at Wonersh, Surrey (she also said Blackheath, Surrey and Alfold, Surrey) on 2 August 1883 and baptised at St John the Baptist, Wonersh on 13 January 1884. They had three children: George b1910, Edwin (b1911, d1911) and Grace b1914. In the 1911 Census Louis (described as a Coachman, Domestic), Emily and George were at 1 The Dene, Abinger Hammer, Surrey. At the time of arranging Louis' War Grave Commission headstone inscription, which was probably in the early 1920s, Emily was living at 6 Tannery Cottages, Gomshall, Guildford, Surrey. When she died aged 56 Emily's abode was recorded (on August 11 1939) as Gomshall in the burial register of St John the Baptist, Wonersh, the church where she had been baptised. The letter to Emily Collis from the Chaplain who took Louis' funeral said that he had seemed to do nicely after surgery but then had a relapse and died at 8.10 on the Saturday night. He added: "He was a fine type of Christian Character, in fact one of the Godliest men it has been my privilege to meet. He had such a wonderful knowledge of the Scriptures. His beautiful Christian Spirit endeared him to all who worked in the ward. His last words with me were of you and the children. He loved you all and at the last his thoughts were of you." |
 L-R: Emily, Grace, George and Louis Collis source: via Ancestry |
Louis Collis is remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies' War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish Church
Church Lads Brigade Tryptich, All Saints' Church Leatherhead
Surrey in the Great War
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of his headstone, and of any recollections of him
with thanks to Nola Williams for photo and letter: last
updated 9 Jul 20