Austin’s occupation and marital status on enlistment in WWI was detailed as a labourer, who was single.
c 1915
- Date of Birth – 27 June 1897 Araluen.1NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Birth – 20105/1897 Collins, Austin E. Parents John and Mary, Registered in Braidwood. Accessed 29 April 2024.
- Parents – John Collins and Mary Maloney, Araluen.
- Enlisted – 2 September 1915, Cootamundra, New South Wales, giving his age incorrectly as 21 years and 2 months, rather than his actual age of 17 years. Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board RMS Osterley on 15 January 1916.2University of NSW AIF project https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=58282. Accessed 28 April 2024.
- Regimental Number(s) – 11046, 11056, and N377498.3National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B2455, Collins Austin Edward, Item ID – 3014534. Accessed 28 April 2024.
- Aged at embarkation – 21 [actually 17]4Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1759422. Accessed 29 April 2024.
- Military service – 11th Field Artillery Brigade, Rank – Gunner5Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/363554. Accessed 28 April 2024. Austin served in Egypt and France and was awarded the British War Medal, and Victory Medal.
- Returned to Australia on 1 May 1919.
- Austin also served in WWII (Service Number N377498)6National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B884, Collins Austin Edward, Item ID – 6161547. Accessed 28 April 2024. enlisting on 5 April 1942, a farmer, who was single, with his next of kin given as his sister Kath Adams in Sydney.7Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/1727457. Accessed 28 April 2024. Austin was discharged on 20 September 1945.
- Died on 1 April 1977.8NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Death 200782/1977, Collins, Austin Edward, Parents John and Mary. Accessed 28 April 2024.
- Austin is at rest in the Araluen Roman Catholic Cemetery9Find a Grave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175879803/austin-edward-collins. Accessed 28 April 2024.
Austin was the youngest son of John Collins (1842-1916) and Mary Maloney (1858-1936). John (a miner) and Mary (a housekeeper) were married on 12 August 1875, by Father William Riordon in Araluen.10NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Marriage – 2110/1875 Collins, John and Maloney, Mary. Registered in Braidwood. Accessed 1 May 2024. John worked in the gold claims in the early days and also with Mr. Blatchford. John and Mary had fifteen children – John (1876-1951) (New Zealand); Michael (1878-1878); Patrick (1879-1966) (WA); Catherine (Kath) (1880-1965) (Mrs. Adams, [Sydney]); Mary (1883-1958) (Mrs. Ryan, [Sydney]); Winifred (1884-1963) (Mrs. Fletcher [Moss Vale]); Bridget (1886-1887); Annie (1888-1961) (Mrs. Cotton [New Zealand]); Honorah (Norah) (1889-1913) (Mrs. Murphy [Sydney]); Elizabeth (1891-1964) (Mrs. Doyle [Moss Vale]); James (1892-1968) (Michelago); William (1893-1952) (Sydney); Ellen (1895-1969) (Mrs. Robert Edgar Knight [Canberra]); Patricia (1896-1982) (Mrs. Costello [Shellharbour]); and Austin (1897-1977) (Araluen). 11Family details as at Mary Collins nee Maloney 1936 obituary as published in the Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1914-1954), Tuesday 28 July 1936, p 2 and NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Death – 14644/1936 Collins, Mary. Parents Lot and Catherine, Registered in Braidwood. Accessed 1 May 2024. Austin’s cousin was Mr. John Collins of the Hotel Araluen.
In January 1916, the Braidwood Dispatch12Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 7 January 1916, p 5. reported ‘Mr. Austin Collins, who is visiting Araluen on final leave, was on Monday night presented with a sum of money to enable him to purchase something to remind him of his many friends and schoolmates in the old Valley. The young soldier is in the artillery.’
The Braidwood Dispatch13Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 20 July 1917, p 2. reported in July 1917 ‘Gunner Austin Collins, of Araluen is reported as wounded‘ with shell gas poisoning.
In June 1919, the Braidwood Dispatch14Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 6 June 1919, p 2. advised ‘Gunner Austin Collins, youngest son of Mrs. J. [John] Collins, of Redbank, who enlisted in the early part of 1915, and who saw service in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France, where he served almost continuously, arrived in Sydney on Wednesday by one of the troopships. His mother proceeded to Sydney during the week to meet her soldier son and to accompany him back to the Valley.’
The Welcome Home for Araluen soldiers was reported in August 1919 in the Braidwood Dispatch.15Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 29 August 1919, p 2. ‘The welcome home to the Araluen soldier boys on Tuesday night last in the Federal Hall was a brilliant success … evidence in itself that Araluen is proud of its khaki heroes, and knows how to ‘spar up’ when a warrior comes home … The soldiers present were: Sergt. C. J. Batty, Gunner A. Collins, and Ptes. W. Harman and J. J. Hush. The mothers present (Mrs. [Susan] Hughes and Mrs. [Mary] Collins) occupied seats on the platform beside their soldier sons … About 3 a.m. the last of the dancers streamed from the hall, and thus ended one of the most successful welcome home functions ever held at Araluen.’
Austin served in WWII (Service Number N377498)16National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B884, Collins Austin Edward, Item ID – 6161547. Accessed 28 April 2024. enlisting on 5 April 1942, in Araluen, a farmer, who was single, with his next of kin given as his sister Kath Adams in Sydney.17Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/1727457. Accessed 28 April 2024. Austin was discharged on 20 September 1945.
Family members recollect (Austin) ‘Aussie was a great character and very well known in Araluen. He never did get used to “civilisation” and lived in a shack in the bush; he never held a regular job, but made his living by trapping, curing and selling the skins, and gold mining. He was a “giant” of a man, built like a small mountain. He came into town to sell his wares often and was an Araluen icon of the times.’18Ancestry.com, Story posted 29 April 2009 by Katie Collins. ‘According to my father, Danny Collins …
