Valentine Septimus Collinson (1880-1955)
Durham man served with Canadian Army
Valentine arrived in Canada in 1903 and enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 2 September 1915 at Barriefield Camp, Kingston, Ontario. He named his wife as his next of kin and became Private 455368 in “B” Company, 59th Battalion. After training at the camp, the battalion embarked for England on the SS Olympic, arriving in Liverpool on 11 April 1916. Based at Camp Bordon, Valentine was promoted to lance corporal in June, but reverted to the rank of private at his own request the following month. Absorbed into the 39th Battalion in July, by August Private 455368 was working at the Canadian Record Office in London and remained there until he returned to Canada in August 1919, where he was discharged as medically unfit due to cataracts and defective vision.
Civil Parish: Durham
Birth date: 14-Feb-1880
Death date: 1955
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 9 Church Street, Durham City (1881 census)
10 Gilesgate, Durham City (1891 census)
Roaney Street, Campbellford, Ontario (1911 Canadian census)
2607 George Street, Toronto (service record)
Religion: Church of England
Employment: law clerk (marriage certificate)
Family: Father: Simpson Collinson, master draper and employer from Wolsingham
Mother: Mary Elizabeth Collinson nee Pugh, born in the Bahamas
Siblings: Theophilus J.Collinson, Thomas A.Collinson, Henry Augustus Collinson, Eveline Collinson
Wife: May Ann L. Collinson nee Bennett, married 29 June 1910, Northumberland, Ontario, Canada
Children: Hyacinth Elizabeth Collinson, born 1913
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Male
Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham