Percy Collins
Percy Alfred Collins (January 22, 1905 – 1990) was an Australian sailor. He appeared on an Australian postage stamp in 1995.[citation needed]
Biography[edit]
Collins was born in Murwillumbah in 1905.[1] He was William and Ellen Collins’ (née Foley) fourth child.[2]
[edit]
In 1927 Collins became a stoker for the Royal Australian Navy; in 1939 he was promoted to the rank of petty officer.[3] In 1940 he was selected to be part of the HMAS Napier commissioning crew[4] (this was the first of the Navy’s new “N” class destroyers).[citation needed]
Collins died in 1990.[citation needed]
Awards and recognition[edit]
In 1941 during the Battle of Crete, his actions resulted in saving a ship. For this he received a Distinguished Service Medal. It was stated that he had “virtually kept the ship mobile,” enabling it to proceed to port.
In October 1945 he received a Bar to his D.S.M. for his "courage, endurance, and skill" while undertaking escort duties "under hazardous and trying conditions". He was one of only two RAN sailors to receive a D.S.M. and Bar.[5]
The Australian War Memorial received his medals upon his death,[6] along with his portrait which had been painted by Alfred Cook in 1956.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ "Collins Percy Charles George". discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au. National Archives of Australia. 14 July 1997. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ^ "History: Percy's actions saved HMAS Napier and its crew". Northern Star. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ^ Fogarty, Mike. Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
- ^ Langmore, Diane (April 2009). Australian Dictionary of Biography, 1981-1990. The Miegunyah Press. ISBN 9780522853827.
- ^ "Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ^ "Percy Collins". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ^ "Advanced Search | The Australian War Memorial". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
