Major-General Geoffrey Collin RIP

Kyt · Feb 23, 2009

Major-General Geoffrey Collin - Telegraph

Major-General Geoffrey Collin, who died on February 14 aged 87, had a highly successful career as a field gunner; awarded an MC at the battle of Imphal, he had the unusual distinction of taking part in operations with two of the Services in the Burma campaign and subsequently serving with the third.

In February 1944, Collin rejoined 114 Field Regiment Royal Artillery, part of 20th Indian Division, and was in action within 24 hours — 20th Division was holding a long and vulnerable front south-east of Imphal, in country criss-crossed by steep ridges, deep nullahs (steep, narrow valleys) and, in places, dense jungle.

In more than two months of bitter fighting, 20th Division resisted repeated onslaughts by the Japanese in their attempt to break into the Imphal Plain. During this period Collin was manning observation posts or acting as forward observation officer, and for much of the time he was under heavy shell and mortar fire. On one occasion, when his OP was overrun by the enemy, he remained behind to cover his party while his men withdrew carrying his wireless set. He was awarded an MC.

Geoffrey de Egglesfield Collin was born on July 18 1921 at Kandy, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), the son of a gunner who was awarded an MC in France in the First World War. Young Geoffrey returned to England aged nine to go to Wellington College, Berkshire. One night, for a prank, he got out of the school and broke into Broadmoor, where an inmate introduced himself with the words: “I am a poached egg.”

Collin was a founder member of the Home Guard at Ripon before enlisting as a gunner in the ranks of the Royal Artillery in 1940. Having been commissioned into 114 Field Regiment RA in July 1941, he accompanied his unit to India and subsequently to Ceylon, where he volunteered for training in naval gunnery as a forward observation officer. He served with 5 Combined Operations Bombardment Unit, observing and directing the fire of naval ships in support of land operations off the coast of Burma.

After Imphal, Collin contracted amoebic dysentery and spent three months in Bombay military hospital before moving to Trincomalee, Ceylon, where he trained naval gunners in fire support. He then took part in combined operations off Ramree Island. On one occasion, while in a submarine, he noticed that water was coming through the bulkhead and reported this. “Don’t worry, sir,” the petty officer said, “It’s a very old sub,” and went off in search of a bucket.

Collin returned to 20th Division and fought with the unit in the drive to Rangoon. After the campaign in Burma, he was trained as a pilot by the RAF before being posted to 652 Air OP Squadron near Celle, Germany, in 1946. In 1948 he transferred to the 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery at Hohne, BAOR, where he served as a troop commander and enjoyed steeplechasing at Dortmund and Hanover. After attending Staff College in 1951 and a move to HQ RA 53 (Welsh) Infantry Division as brigade major, he was an instructor at Sandhurst.

Collin was posted to HQ East Africa in Kenya in 1956 as DAMS and DAAQ during the last phase of operations against Mau-Mau. He attended the Joint Services Staff College in 1958 before returning to 3 RHA as commander of “D” Battery.

He went back to Staff College in 1960 as a director of studies. He had a great gift for teaching and always tried to make learning fun. In 1962 he took command of 50 Missile Regiment in BAOR. The regiment was operating with tactical nuclear missiles, and an arsonist started 20 fires — two of which were very large — before he was finally apprehended.

In 1965 Collin was posted to the School of Artillery as GS01 and then to 4 Division in BAOR as Commander Royal Artillery. After attending Imperial Defence College, in 1969 he returned to the School of Artillery as commandant. During his tour, the school was granted the title of “Royal” and celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Collin moved to HQ BAOR in 1971 as Major-General RA. He was essentially a “soldier’s soldier” rather than a staff officer, and this was one of his least satisfying appointments. He moved to York as GOC North East District in 1973; there were three IRA attacks during his three-year tour of duty, one of which blew off the back of a bus and caused a considerable number of casualties.

Collin retired from the Army in 1976. Unusually for an officer who reaches high rank, he never served in the Ministry of Defence. This caused him no regret, and he ascribed it, in part, to his difficult handwriting. He was Colonel Commandant of the Royal Artillery from 1976 to 1983.

Collin was honorary director of the Great Yorkshire Show for 11 years. He helped to host the Royal visit for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 .

He was chairman of the Civil Service Selection Board from 1981 to 1991 and a member of the Retired Officer Selection Board from 1979 to 2001. In retirement he lived at a village near York, where he enjoyed fishing and ornithology. A devout Christian with a strong community spirit, he was for many years chairman of both the church and parish councils and a volunteer guide at Ripon cathedral.

Geoffrey Collin was appointed CB in 1975 and Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire in 1977.

He married, in 1949, Angela Stella Young, with whom he had a son and three daughters.
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Major-General Geoffrey Collin RIP

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