COLLIER, Hendricus Josephus

Hendricus was born in Holland and spent three years in the Dutch navy before coming to Australia from Java, Dutch East Indies.  He first enlisted in Melbourne in July 1915 and was assigned to 53 Company, then the 21st Battalion.  Although his service records give his date of enlistment as 10 April 1916, The North Western Courier Newspaper at Narrabri NSW 17 January 1916 listed him as one of the Moree men who joined the First Contingent of The Kurrajongs.

He was a twenty six year old Labourer when he became a member of the 33rd Battalion, 3rd Reinforcement which sailed from Sydney on HMAT A68 Anchises in August 1916. He was with the 9th Training Battalion at Durrington Camp in January 1917 and then qualified as Assistant Instructor at Weymouth Signal School.  He was attached for duty to E Group Headquarters and then various training brigades until sent to France in January 1918 and joining the 33rd Battalion again. 

Hendricus was gassed at Villers-Bretonneux when a shell fell into his dugout in April 1918.  As a result he was invalided back to Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol in England where he spent eight and a half weeks as his eyes and chest were badly affected.  In October he arrived back in Australia and was medically discharged in April 1919.

During 1916 Hendricus had married Sylvia Tregeagle at West Maitland and after the War they lived in Sydney where he worked as a Storeman.  He died in 1942.