John Stanhope Collings-Wells


Lieutenant-Colonel John Stanhope Collings-Wells VC DSO was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was educated at Uppingham School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he joined the Apollo University Lodge.
Born in Manchester on 19 July 1880 to Arthur & Caroline Mary, Collings-Wells moved to Marple to live with his cousin, Will Buck, enabling him to run his father's business in Manchester.
Collings-Wells enlisted in the Hertfordshire Militia, and was commissioned into the Bedfordshire Regiment on 14 March 1904. He was made lieutenant in September 1904 and captain in January 1907. When war broke out, he travelled to France with his Regiment on 22 August 1914. In the winter of 1914-15, he was wounded and invalided home. He returned to the front lines in July 1916, with the rank of Major, in command of a company. He was promoted to acting Lieutenant-Colonel in October 1916.
Collings-Wells was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1917 for his command of a battalion, which captured and held the northern outskirts of Gavrelle on 23 April 1917. Further, on 29 April he commanded a composite battalion, attacked and captured the Oppy line. He was also Mentioned in despatches in November 1917.

VC Citation

In the period 22/27 March during the fighting from Marcoing to Albert, France, he committed acts which earned him the Victoria Cross. He died in action on 27 March 1918.
He was buried at Bouzincourt Ridge Cemetery. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regimental Collection at the Wardown Park Museum, Luton, Bedfordshire.