Captain Lewis Isaac Collins (born 7 November 1894 – 1 June 1971) was a Scottish

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

credited with five aerial victories.

Biography

Collins was born in Dundee, Scotland, the son of Isaac John and Helen Isles (née McFee) Collins. He was educated at the

High School of Dundee The High School of Dundee is an independent, co-educational, day school in Dundee, Scotland, which provides nursery, primary and secondary education to just over one thousand pupils. Its foundation has been dated to 1239, and it is the only priv ...

. He first served as a

sapper A sapper, also called a pioneer (military), pioneer or combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefie ...

in the City of Dundee (Fortress) Engineers, a

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...

unit, before being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the

Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...

on 20 September 1915. He was soon transferred, joining the 10th (Service) Battalion of

Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment), frequently known as the Yorkshire Regiment until the 1920s, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, in the King's Division. Raised in 1688, it served under variou ...

on 27 September 1915. He was promoted to lieutenant on 27 March 1917, and to captain on 1 May 1917. Collins was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps and posted to No. 18 Squadron as an observer/gunner. Between 25 March and 17 June 1918, with pilot Captain

David A. Stewart David Allan Stewart (born 9 September 1952) is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for Eurythmics, his successful professional partnership with Annie Lennox. Sometimes credited as David A. Stewart, he won Best British ...

flying an

Airco DH.4 The Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (Airco) was an early British aircraft manufacturer. Established during 1912, it grew rapidly during the First World War, referring to itself as the largest aircraft company in the world by 1918. Air ...

, he gained five victories, and in September was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC i ...

. He was transferred to the unemployed list on 25 February 1919. On 21 September 1927, following the death of his father, Collins and his brother David, took over and continued the family business of I. J. Collins, Tailors and Clothiers, of 12–14 Whitehall Street, Dundee. On 18 October 1939, soon after the start of World War II, Collins was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the National Defence Company. Collins died in Dundee on 1 June 1971, and is buried in the Western Cemetery there.

Honours and awards

;Military Cross :Temporary Captain Lewis Isaac Collins, Yorkshire Regiment and Royal Air Force. :For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has carried out twelve successful bombing raids, fifteen low bombing and reconnaissance flights, and ten successful photographic flights. He has carried out many low flying, harassing and bombing patrols of great value. In addition he has destroyed two enemy machines, on one occasion being attacked by three of the enemy.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Lewis 1894 births 1971 deaths Military personnel from Dundee People educated at the High School of Dundee Green Howards officers Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force personnel of World War I British World War I flying aces Scottish flying aces Recipients of the Military Cross British Army personnel of World War I Royal Engineers soldiers Black Watch officers