Major-General Charles Edward Edward-Collins (28 May 1881 – 21 November 1967) was a

British Indian Army The Indian Army was the force of British Raj, British India, until Indian Independence Act 1947, national independence in 1947. Formed in 1895 by uniting the three Presidency armies, it was responsible for the defence of both British India and ...

officer.

Early life and marriage

Edward-Collins was born in

Bodmin Bodmin () is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated south-west of Bodmin Moor. The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character. It is bordered ...

, Cornwall, the son of Edward Charles Edward-Collins, a local landowner, and his wife, Eleanor Mary (née Alms). His younger brother was

Frederick Edward-Collins Admiral Sir George Frederick Basset Edward-Collins (26 December 1883 – 17 February 1958) was a British senior officer in the Royal Navy during the first half of the twentieth century. Early life Edward-Collins was born in Bodmin, Cornwa ...

, who became an admiral in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

. He was educated at

Marlborough College Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English private boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. It was founded as Marlborough School in 1843 by the Dean of Manchester, George ...

and the

Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC) was a United Kingdom, British military academy for training infantry and cavalry Officer (armed forces), officers of the British Army, British and British Indian Army, Indian Armies. It was founded in 1801 at Gre ...

. In 1907, Edward-Collins married Nora Mabel de la Cour Corbett. They had two sons and three daughters. She died in 1952.

Career

Edward-Collins was commissioned a second lieutenant in the

North Staffordshire Regiment The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was in existence between 1881 and 1959. The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was created on 21 April 1758 from the 2nd Battali ...

in late February 1900, but the appointment was cancelled, and he was instead appointed to the

Devonshire Regiment The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the World War I, First World War and the World War II, ...

early the following month. He served in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

from 1900 to 1902 and was promoted to lieutenant in November 1901. In January 1907, he was seconded to the Indian Army's Supply and Transport Corps (later the

Indian Army Service Corps The Indian Army Service Corps (IASC) is a Corps, administrative corps and an arm of the Indian Army which handles its Military logistics, logistic support function. It is the oldest and the largest administrative service in the Indian Army. Whil ...

), and transferred permanently in October 1909. He served in the Abor Expedition (against the residents of the

Abor Hills The Abor Hills is a region of Arunachal Pradesh in the far northeast of India, near the border with China. The hills are bordered by the Mishmi Hills and Miri Hills, and drained by the Dibang River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra. During th ...

) in 1911 to 1912, for which he was

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

and promoted to brevet major in June 1912. He was promoted substantive major in February 1915 and served with the

Bushire Field Force Bushehr (; ) is a port city in the Central District of Bushehr County, Bushehr province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. Etymology The roots of the name "Bushehr" are uncertain. It is unlikely that it ...

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

in 1918 to 1919, for which he was again mentioned in despatches and appointed

Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) Appoint ...

(CIE) in January 1920. In November 1923, he was appointed an assistant director of transport at the Headquarters, Army in India, in which post he served until March 1926. He was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel in June 1924. He then served as commandant of the Indian Army Service Corps Training Establishment until May 1930 and in May 1930 was promoted

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. He served as deputy director of transport at the Headquarters, Army in India until September 1933, when he was appointed deputy director of supplies and transport for the Army in India, serving in the post (with the temporary rank of

brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

) until September 1937. He was appointed Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the King in September 1935, holding the position until September 1937, and

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...

(CB) in the 1937 Coronation Honours of

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...

. He was promoted major-general in September 1937, retired from the Indian Army in September 1940 and returned to his ancestral home at Trewardale, near

Blisland Blisland () is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is approximately five miles northeast of Bodmin. According to the UK census 2001, 2001 census, the parish had a population of 565. Thi ...

. He commanded the North Cornwall Group of the

Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting ...

from 1942 to 1945 and served as

High Sheriff of Cornwall Sheriffs and high sheriffs of Cornwall: a chronological list: The right to choose high sheriffs each year is vested in the Duchy of Cornwall. The Privy Council of the United Kingdom, Privy Council, chaired by the sovereign, chooses the sheriff ...

in 1955.

Footnotes

Bibliography

External links

Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edward-Collins, Charles 1881 births 1967 deaths North Staffordshire Regiment officers British Indian Army generals Military personnel from Cornwall British Army personnel of the Second Boer War British Home Guard officers Companions of the Order of the Bath Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire Devonshire Regiment officers Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst High sheriffs of Cornwall Indian Army generals of World War II Indian Army personnel of World War I People educated at Marlborough College People from Bodmin