Born at Peterborough, Northamptonshire.
Enlisted at Dublin on the 2nd of May 1854.
Age: 22.
Height: 5' 6".
Trade: Labourer.
Joined the regiment in the Crimea on the 18th of May 1855.
Returned to England aboard the "Norman" on the 15th of May 1856.
The Muster roll for the October-December Quarter of 1856 has no mention of him apart from a pencilled note at the bottom of the page, showing his name and number and the query, "Why has he been discontinued."
Transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Military Train on the 31st of December 1856, his Regimental number being 208.
Invalided to England from India aboard the "Merchantman" on the 27th of December 1859.
Transferred to the 6th Battalion Military Train on the 25th of March 1865.
Discharged, "time expired", from Dublin on the 24th of April 1866.
Served 12 years.
Conduct: "very good".
In possession of two Good Conduct badges.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol.
Mutiny medal with clasps for Lucknow and the Relief of Lucknow.
Served in the force under the command of H.E. the Commander-in-Chief at Lucknow and with that under Sir James Outram, at Alum Bagh.
Not recorded by Lummis and Wynn.
On the 6th of February 1894 a letter was received at the War Office from a Mr. A.J. Gill requesting that James Collier be awarded the MSM. The reply was that "This could not be considered, he never having been a Sergeant."
A Private James Collier, late of the Military Train, was present at the Golden Commemoration of the Indian Mutiny held at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on the 23rd of December 1907. (See copy of the booklet produced at the time showing the names and regiments of all those present, in the "Memoirs" file.
In 1984 a Mr. Charles Plumb of Doncaster wrote saying he was aware of a distant relative, named Charles (or James) Collier, who had served in the Crimea and possibly rode in the Charge, but had no knowledge of which regiment he served with. Given information proved that this relative and 1305 James Collier were one and the same person. Mr. Plumb later sent a copy of a local newspaper report of his death and funeral.
Extract from the Doncaster Chronicle,12th of March 1920:
"A Boy of the Old Brigade
"Crimean Veteran's Death at Woodlands. 'The Relief of Lucknow.'
Gradually, the few remaining veteran's of the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny are passing to their long rest. One of them, John Collier, was buried at Adwick-le-Street on Saturday afternoon. Collier was a remarkable man.
He was born at Peterboro' in 1830, and according to the "Small book" which every soldier used to possess, had enlisted into the 8th Hussars at Liverpool. The actual date is uncertain.
In 1855 he saw service in the Crimea for a couple of years, and then appears to have gone to India, for he landed at Calcutta on the 28th of August 1857. For these services he was awarded the Crimean medal with one clasp, the Turkish medal and the Indian medal with two clasps.
During the Crimean campaign Mr. Collier had two horses shot under him, and was badly wounded through his horse falling on him. As a result of the latter he had spent five months in hospital and it was here that he had met the famous Miss Florence Nightingale.
When in a talkative frame of mind, Mr. Collier would tell of the most kindly treatment he received at the hands of that devoted band of women. When in India he went through the siege of Lucknow and was present at the relief of that town. A couple of clasps on his medal tell of his bravery.
Fifteen years' service, and the man left the Army and settled at Peterboro' and where he built himself a house, which he had called Lucknow Cottage.
After working for the Railway Company and the Corporation, he went into the Chelsea Pensioner's Home. [He is not shown in the only available Admissions Register of the Royal Hospital as ever being there between 1858 and 1834 and not being a pensioner from any cause or degree would not have been eligible anyhow.]
But he did not care for the place and one day, on the pretext of fetching some tobacco, he slipped away and was fortunate enough to get into touch with a man who was travelling to Peterboro. Collier accompanied him, and for a while lived in the house of his niece.
Mr. Collier came to Woodlands a few months back, and despite his great age, he was agile enough to get out and about. He was interested in all ex-soldiers, and the newer service men took a great interest in him. Both the Adwick and Woodlands with Highfield branches made him a life-member of their clubs.
When peace was celebrated it was stated that the old man was so jubilant over it that the more boisterous spirits carried him shoulder-high.
He was a very prominent figure in the July Peace celebrations and rode round the village on one of the drays, proudly displaying his medals. All the same, with his advancing years, he loved to take things easily at home, which was only to be expected after his strenuous life and the fact that he was 90 years of age. When at home he was very fond of pegging hearth-rugs.
The Funeral
It was doubtful whether Woodlands people have ever been more interested in a funeral than was evinced on Saturday afternoon. The coffin, shrouded in a weather-beaten Union Jack, was borne from the house to the Woodlands Church on the shoulders of six privates of the 3rd (Regulars) York's and Lancs, who came over specially from Pontefract Barracks.
As they came from the house, a party of the Woodlands Club Male Voice Choir sang "Comrades in Arms." Heading the procession, under a sergeant major, and walking at a slow pace, were twelve members of the York's and Lances, Regiment, each with reversed arms. Then came the coffin with two wreaths, the family mourners, and also the Wood fields with High fields Comrades under Mr. J. Gadded and the Main Ambulance Band. the Male Voice Choir and the Adwick Street Comrades under Mr. C. Clarion.
At the church gates the soldiers formed a guard of honour, and stood with heads bowed and reversed arms as the cortege filed into the church. The impressive service was conducted by the Vicar of Woodlands, the Revd. J.L. Barker.
At the close, the organist, Mr. S. Smith, played the "Dead March." Outside, the soldiers again played the "Dead March" almost all the way to the cemetery. At the Cemetery gates the band formed the guard of honour, and the soldiers and the two Branches of the Comrades formed into line on three sides of the grave, the other being left for the family mourners.
On the road leading to the Cemetery members of the Adwick Comrades had relieved the soldiers acting as bearers. There was a large company of village people present, The wreaths cane from Mr. and Mrs. Plumb and family, Arthur Eastwood, and an artificial globe from the Adwick Comrades.
The final words of the clergyman, and the coffin being lain to rest, the soldiers fired three volleys over the grave. Then, at the word of command, they "presented arms" with bayonets fixed, and as they did so, six members of the Frodsworth Band, together with an artillery man, sounded the "Last Post."
And so ended the life of a brave soldier — one of the very few people left in England who took part in the charge of the Light Brigade. The soldiers were entertained at dinner and tea by the Adwick and Woodlands Branches of the Old Comrades of the Great War."