Veteran Story: Edward Collins (1895-1964) was born at Tomoo Station, Mungallagah, south of Mitchell to Harry Collins and Dinah Smith. Edward and his older brother Fred volunteered in June 1917 and trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera before embarking aboard HMAT Ulysses in December 1917 with the 20th Reinforcements for the 11th Light Horse Regiment. This unit later became known as the Queensland Black Watch as all but two members of the 32 strong unit were Aboriginal. They joined their unit in the field in May 1918 when the regiment was operating out of the ancient city of Jericho and patrolling the Jordan Valley. Edward contracted malaria and was hospitalised for several months, before returning to Australia with his brother Fred in July 1919. Edward lived and worked in the Mitchell district until the late 1920s after which he found work at Topar Station, Broken Hill. He died in 1964 age 68 and is buried at the Broken Hill Church of England Cemetery.
