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East & West Africa Medal 1887-99
Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria in a diadem and veil (left). Legend: 'VICTORIA REGINA'. Reverse: a group of soldiers and Africans fighting in the bush for their fallen comrades. Suspended from a bar, and yellow ribbon with a broad black edge and two narrow black central stripes. Bar: '1898'. Inscription on edge: 'JOHN F. COLLINS. A.B. H.M.S. HERON'.
John Foulgar Collins (1877-1939) was born in Trimley St Martin, the son of a shepherd. He joined RN in 1893. After training, he served on the pre-dreadnought battleship ‘Repulse during 1896-97. He was rated Able Seaman and was present during the Diamond Jubilee Fleet Review on 26 June 1897. Collins served on the river gunboat HMS ‘Heron’ from 14 December 1897 to 15 January 1899. With her sister vessel ‘Jackdaw’ she was intended for service on the Niger. Her crew travelled out from Liverpool on the British and Africa Company’s steamer Loanda, the steamers were sent out disassembled, officially attached to ‘Fox’ as tenders. Collins was also on ‘Fox’s’ books from October to December while ‘Heron’ was being reconstructed. The two vessels were commissioned on 1 December as the first imperial service on the Niger. There were a number of military expeditions to the hinterland of Lagos and Borgu during 1898, where the British and French were establishing colonial boundaries. Collins received one of the only four bars were awarded to the crew of ‘Heron’ for the Borgu expedition. He was then in ‘Galatea’, escorting the Royal Yacht ‘Victoria and Albert’ during a visit by Queen Victoria to Ireland. On 9 May 1900 he was promoted Leading Seaman. Then he was in cruiser ‘Blenheim’ 1901-1903 while she was on the China station, in torpedo gunboat ‘Speedy’ 1905 to 1908 on coastguard duties and in the Home Fleet. Now a Petty Officer, he served throughout World War 1, being present at the battle of Jutland in destroyer HMS ‘Defender’ which afterwards succeeded in towing the damaged HMS ‘Onslow’ back to port under difficult circumstances. Collins was demobilised in 1919. He found work in Ipswich, with Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, agricultural engineers but was out of work in 1921.
In 1909 he married Ruth Gilbert, but the couple had no children.
John Foulgar Collins (1877-1939) was born in Trimley St Martin, the son of a shepherd. He joined RN in 1893. After training, he served on the pre-dreadnought battleship ‘Repulse during 1896-97. He was rated Able Seaman and was present during the Diamond Jubilee Fleet Review on 26 June 1897. Collins served on the river gunboat HMS ‘Heron’ from 14 December 1897 to 15 January 1899. With her sister vessel ‘Jackdaw’ she was intended for service on the Niger. Her crew travelled out from Liverpool on the British and Africa Company’s steamer Loanda, the steamers were sent out disassembled, officially attached to ‘Fox’ as tenders. Collins was also on ‘Fox’s’ books from October to December while ‘Heron’ was being reconstructed. The two vessels were commissioned on 1 December as the first imperial service on the Niger. There were a number of military expeditions to the hinterland of Lagos and Borgu during 1898, where the British and French were establishing colonial boundaries. Collins received one of the only four bars were awarded to the crew of ‘Heron’ for the Borgu expedition. He was then in ‘Galatea’, escorting the Royal Yacht ‘Victoria and Albert’ during a visit by Queen Victoria to Ireland. On 9 May 1900 he was promoted Leading Seaman. Then he was in cruiser ‘Blenheim’ 1901-1903 while she was on the China station, in torpedo gunboat ‘Speedy’ 1905 to 1908 on coastguard duties and in the Home Fleet. Now a Petty Officer, he served throughout World War 1, being present at the battle of Jutland in destroyer HMS ‘Defender’ which afterwards succeeded in towing the damaged HMS ‘Onslow’ back to port under difficult circumstances. Collins was demobilised in 1919. He found work in Ipswich, with Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, agricultural engineers but was out of work in 1921.
In 1909 he married Ruth Gilbert, but the couple had no children.
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Object Details
| ID: | MED0138 |
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| Collection: | Coins and medals |
| Type: | War medal |
| Display location: | Not on display |
| Creator: | Poynter, Edward John; Wyon, Leonard Charles |
| Events: | East & West Africa War, 1887-1888 |
| Vessels: | Heron (1897) |
| Date made: | circa 1898 |
| People: | Collins, John Foulgar |
| Credit: | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London |
| Measurements: | Overall: 36 mm |