Private John Samuel COLLIN

3rd Royal Sussex Regiment (2nd & 9th Regiment)

 John Samuel Collin was born on 4^th January 1899, one of six children of John William Collin from Easton on the Hill and Emily Mould of Woodnewton.  He was baptised on 5^th Febuary 1899 at St Mary’s Church, Woodnewton and started school on 20^th October 1902.

There is no military paperwork for John but due to his age, he would not have been able to join up until 1917 but he was discharged on 9^th February 1919, due to a disability.  He was awarded the Victory and British Medal.

In July/early August 1923 he married Janet Shrive from Kings Cliffe.  He was working as a Labourer and they were living in Kings Cliffe before they set sail on 24^th August 1923, from Liverpool to Quebec in Canada on the White Star Line Ship named Megantic.

There is a death recorded of a John Samuel Collin in Canada in 1944, but unfortunately it cannot be confirmed that it is him.

The Royal Sussex Regiment (Reserve Battalion) was based in Chichester in 1914.  A depot/training unit it remained in the UK throughout the War.  It moved on mobilisation to Dover and in May 1915 to Newhaven for duty as Newhaven Garrison.