Patrick Collins was born at Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland, on the 8th April 1880, the son of Michael and Mary Collins (née Hurley). His father was an agricultural labourer and Patrick was one of twelve children; however, only Patrick and three of his siblings were still alive by 1911!
He was unmarried and in 1915, lived at 30, Great George Street, Liverpool, Lancashire, England. At that time, his mother was living in Glenwood Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, and Patrick Collins was engaged to be married to Miss Mary O’Donnell, a domestic servant, who lived in the same city.
He was a professional fireman in the Mercantile Marine and on the 13th April 1915, he engaged in the Engineering Department on board the Lusitania, at a monthly rate of pay of £6-10s.-0d. (£6.50p). He then reported for duty on the morning of the 17th April in time for the liner’s last ever departure from the River Mersey on her way to New York. It was not the first time that he had sailed on the steamer.
Having successfully completed that passage, he was on the return leg of the voyage when the liner was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine, U-20, on the afternoon of the 7th May 1915, within sight of the southern Irish coast and only hours away from her Liverpool home port.
He did not survive the sinking, like so many other firemen, and as his body was never recovered and identified afterwards, he has no known grave. As a result, he is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine War Memorial to the Missing of the Mercantile Marine, at Tower Hill, London. He was aged 35 years, although when he engaged, he gave his age as being 33 years.
In August 1915, his family was sent the balance of wages owing to Fireman Collins, which represented his time on board from the 17th April until the 8th May 1915, 24 hours after the liner had sunk.
Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1901 Census of Ireland, 1911 Census of Ireland, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Scotland Ireland, and Wales Militia Attestation Papers 1800 – 1915, Philadelphia Public Ledger, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 350, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 12th January 2023.