Percy Collins

Percy Alfred Collins (January 22, 1905 – 1990) was an Australian sailor. He appeared on an Australian postage stamp in 1995.

Biography

Collins was born in Murwillumbah in 1905.[1] He was William and Ellen Collins’ (née Foley) fourth child.[2]

Royal Australian Navy

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).

Collins died in 1990.

Awards and recognition

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

  1. ↑ "Collins Percy Charles George". discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au. National Archives of Australia. 1997-07-14. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  2. ↑ "History: Percy's actions saved HMAS Napier and its crew". Northern Star. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  3. ↑ Fogarty, Mike. Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  4. ↑ Langmore, Diane (April 2009). Australian Dictionary of Biography, 1981-1990. The Miegunyah Press. ISBN 9780522853827.
  5. ↑ "Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  6. ↑ "Percy Collins". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  7. ↑ "Advanced Search | The Australian War Memorial". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
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