Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Abel Edwin Collier a farm cattleman, born 1870 in Sileby, Leics., and his wife Annie Broughton Collier a grocer, born 1874 in Lincoln. George Alfred Edwin was born in 1895 in Seagrave, Leics., he had one sibling, a sister Grace Alice, born 1899 in Burton Bandalls, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at Farm House, Walton on the Wolds, Leics. In April 1911 George was employed as a stable help and was residing in the family home at Walton on the Wolds, Leics., together with his father, now a general farm labourer, his mother and siblings, Grace and Florence Evelyn, born 1903 in Walton on the Wolds, Leics. The War Diary entry for the events from the 5th to the 14th April 1917 records. The Battalion moved forward and occupied the outpost line on the HENIN – CROISILLES ROAD. “D” and “C” Companies held the front line of posts in the sunken roads T.17.d. and a. due north of CROISILLES. “B” Company were in support in the sunken road running through T.16.b., 17.a. and c. “A” Company in reserve in the sunken road T.21.d. Battalion HQ in the railway embankment T.20.d.80.25. The Battalion held this line until the night of the 12th/13th April, patrols were sent out continually at night and contact was established with the enemy. -?- in dispositions was made as follows:- On the 9th April Battalion HQ moved up to the sunken road in T.22.a..20.35. -?- then “A” Company from reserve relieved “D” Company in the front line as a consequence of heavy casualties suffered by “D” Company who lost 4 officers and 15 other ranks on the night of the 10th/11th April from enemy shell fire. 2nd Lt. W. H. BENNETT was killed and 2nd Lt’s. MESNY, DOUGLAS and UNDERWOOD (died of wounds 16th April) being wounded. On the morning of the 12th April “D” Company under Major T. L. WARNER carried out a minor enterprise in conjunction with the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT and the 64th Infantry Brigade. The operation was to bomb down the HINDENBURG TRENCH and take up a line close to and on three sides of FONTAINE-LES-CROISILLES. “D” Company continued the line of attack on the right of the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT, who were to keep in touch with the line of the attack of the 64th Infantry Brigade, but were to remain outside the wire of the HINDENBURG LINE. The operations were held up, very early in the day owing to failure in supply of bombs. Major WARNER using every bit of cover afforded by the folds in the ground remained with “D” Company out in the open until midnight 12th/13th April, during which time the Company suffered casualties to 20 other ranks, 8 being killed. The same night the Battalion was relieved by the 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. Bivouacked in MOYENVILLE whence it marched to ADINFER and bivouacked on the 14th April.