Collier, E G

,

Private Edwin George Collier

Family/Last name:
Collier
Forename(s) and initial(s):
Edwin George
Place of birth:
Nelson, New Zealand
Date of birth:
12/12/1918
Nationality:
New Zealand
Service number:
29517
Military Unit:
New Zealand Army (2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force), 18th Battalion (NZ)
Rank when captured:
Private
Place of capture:
Crete
POW number:
8239
Camp
Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf / Stalag 344, Dulag 183 Salonika
Data sources
The National Archives (UK)Other Sources (Relative Report)
View a commemorative certificate for this prisoner

Edwin Collier was in the New Zealand 18th Battalion on Crete and was captured. He was a POW for four years. We have been trying to piece together all the details but at 91 years of age and quite frail it takes time and patience.

 He was in the 18th Battalion and his army number was 29517. He was one of many who under stated their age to sign up and thought they were on a big adventure. He received basic training at Papakura Army camp in Auckland New Zealand and was shipped out first to North Africa but was only there a short time and was then shipped to Crete. 

He was only in Crete for 10 days when the German airborne assault took place. He was dug in on Red Hill when the Germans dropped in and his best friend was killed but captured a German gun and shot a German before he was shot and killed. His friend was not going to be captured. 

He was taken prisoner and spent 6 weeks on Crete burying dead before being shipped to Athens and then by train to Stalag VIIIB. It took 9 days and nights to get there.

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