MY grandfather, George Collins, was born on June 17,1883, in the Buckinghamshire market town of Marlow, at Hatches Row off Dean Street. His birth took place in a period when Marlow was still a small riverside town, with a population of only around 4,600 people, barely a third of its size today. Life for many families was hard, and for George, hardship was present from the very beginning.

Four months before George was born, his father Edmond Collins, died. This left his mother widowed before she had even held her child in her arms, and it is difficult to imagine the strain this must have placed upon her, both emotionally and financially. Hatches Row and Dean Street lay within one of the poorest districts of Marlow. The houses were cramped and basic, lacking even the most elementary comforts. There were no indoor toilets. Instead, residents relied on a shared row of outdoor privies, used by everyone living nearby. These conditions were typical of working-class housing in late Victorian England, and they offered little comfort to a young widow raising a child alone. The houses themselves were eventually deemed unfit for habitation and were all demolished in 1934.

Early Hardship and the Call to Army Life

Growing up in these circumstances would have shaped George’s character from an early age. Opportunities were limited, and for many young men of his background, the army offered not only steady employment but also the possibility of travel, advancement, and a life beyond the narrow confines of poverty. It was against this backdrop that George took his first steps into military life.

According to his Army Service Record, George first enlisted on April 17,1899, joining the Militia when he was still only fifteen years old. Militias at this time were volunteer, part-time forces, often composed of local men who trained intermittently rather than serving as full-time soldiers. George appears to have served in this capacity until 1901, balancing military duties with civilian life, and gaining early experience of discipline and soldiering.

In April 1901, he took the decisive step of joining the Regular Army, enlisting in the Oxford Light Infantry. To do so, George was, like many young men of his era, economical with the truth about his age. The minimum age for enlistment was eighteen, and soldiers could not serve overseas until they were nineteen. Claiming to be nineteen was less likely to raise suspicion than admitting to being only eighteen, and this small deception opened the door to a much wider world.

Service Across the British Empire

George trained at the Regimental Depot at Cowley Barracks in Oxford, where he would have learned drill, weapons handling, and the strict routines of army life. He must have distinguished himself early on, as he was appointed Lance Corporal in August 1901, a clear sign of leadership potential and reliability. By around 1903, his regiment was posted to India, beginning what would become a long and defining chapter of his life.

India at the turn of the twentieth century was central to the British Empire, and service there exposed soldiers to climates, cultures, and responsibilities vastly different from anything they had known at home. George served at various postings across the subcontinent, adapting to military life far from England. In 1905, he was promoted to Corporal, further advancing his career.

In 1908, the regiment was renamed the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Later that year, in December, they were posted to Burma, extending George’s experience even further across the empire. After two years, they returned to India in 1910. Promotions followed steadily: in January 1911 George became a Lance Sergeant, and in November of the same year he was promoted again, this time to full Sergeant. These advancements reflected not only his length of service but also his competence and dedication.

Marriage, Family, and War

In March 1910, George returned to England on furlough. During this precious time at home, he became engaged to my grandmother, Martha Carter, who, like George, was from Marlow. Their engagement was overshadowed by the realities of military life. George had to return to India in September, leaving Martha behind. The separation must have been difficult, but the couple planned carefully for their future together.

Arrangements were made for Martha to travel out to India, and in 1912 George was granted permission to go to Bombay to meet her upon arrival. Martha sailed from Southampton, probably sometime in September, embarking on a long sea voyage that would take around six weeks. Before she left England, however, she and George were married by proxy at All Saints Church in Marlow. This legal formality carried significant importance, as it meant that Martha travelled as a soldier’s wife and fell under the responsibility of the British Army during her journey. Had anything happened to George before she reached India, the army would have been obliged to return her home, and she would have been entitled to an army widow’s pension.

Their marriage was formally celebrated on 8 November 1912 at St John’s Church, Coloba, in Bombay, now Mumbai. From that point on, Martha shared fully in the realities of army life overseas, adapting to a new country and climate far from her hometown.

The couple settled in Satara, where their family began to grow. Their first child, William Collins, was born there in September 1913. Several years later, in June 1919, their second child, my mother, Anne Collins, was also born in Satara. By this time, the world had been transformed by war.

During the First World War, George was posted to several locations, including Mesopotamia, where he spent many months. This theatre of war was harsh and demanding, marked by extreme heat, difficult terrain, and serious logistical challenges. By 1916, George was back in India and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major, a senior non-commissioned position that reflected both experience and authority.

A Lifetime of Service and a Lasting Legacy

In February 1922, after many years abroad, the family finally returned to England, where they resided in Corse End, part of Bourne End, just a stone’s throw from his hometown of Marlow. George’s service to the military did not end with his return. He went on to work for the War Graves Commission, which was then based in Wooburn Green. This work carried profound significance, involving the care and commemoration of those who had lost their lives in service. George remained with the Commission until his retirement at nearly seventy-four years of age, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to duty.

Another important chapter of George’s later life was his role as a Yeoman of the Guard, formally known as the Yeoman of the Queen’s Bodyguard of the Yeoman of the Guard. He joined not long after returning from India and served for many years, eventually retiring in January 1963. This prestigious ceremonial role placed him at the heart of Britain’s royal traditions and was a fitting continuation of a life shaped by service. Over his many years of service, he was awarded several medals, some of which are displayed here.

George Collins’s story is deeply rooted in Marlow, the town where he was born and raised. His legacy endures not only in records and memories but in family and place. Today, many of his family still live in Marlow, continuing the connection between past and present, and ensuring that George’s long life of service, perseverance, and quiet achievement is not forgotten.

If you have a story about one of our local heroes and would like to share their legacy, please email press.marlowmuseum@gmail.com.