This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you agree to accept cookies.
If you enjoy this siteplease consider making a donation.
Site Home
WW2 Home
Add Stories
WW2 Search
Library
Help & FAQs
WW2 Features
Airfields
Allied Army
Allied Air Forces
Allied Navy
Axis Forces
Home Front
Battles
Prisoners of War
Allied Ships
Women at War
Those Who Served
Day-by-Day
Library
The Great War
Submissions
Add Stories
Time Capsule
TWMP on Facebook
Childrens Bookshop
FAQ's
Help & FAQs
Glossary
Volunteering
Contact us
News
Bookshop
About
251053Tel Ian Robertson Collie
Royal Navy HMS Spartan
from:Dunblair, Blairgowrie, Perthshire
(d.29th January 1944)
Telegraphist Ian Robertson Collie was born on 31st March, 1925 at "The Cottage", Keay Street, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland. He was the son of Ronald Alexander Collie (Watchmaker) and Mary Elizabeth Davidson. He died on 29th January 1944 when HMS Spartan was hit and sunk in Anzio Bay by a single radio controlled bomb during a glide bomb attack on ships anchored in the Bay.The following is extracted from the local newspaper, The Blairgowrie Advertiser 12/05/1944 and is reproduced from the book "Blairgowrie & Rattray War Memorial - Behind the Names" Edited and Compiled by Mark Duffy (Printed by William Culross & Son Ltd, Queen Street, Coupar Angus, Perthshire PH13 9DF).
"Mr Ronald A Collie, Dunblair, Blairgowrie received official intimation on Saturday that his elder son, Telegraphist Ian Collie, Royal Navy, who was previously reported missing, is now presumed to have lost his life by the sinking of HM Cruiser "Spartan" in January of this year. Early in February Mr Collie was informed by the Naval Authorities that his son was missing. Later in the month the Admiralty announced the loss of HMS Spartan and the Prime Minister stated in Parliament that the sinking occurred at the Nettuno beachhead. Telegraphist Collie would have been 19 years of age in March. He joined the Boys' Service of the Royal Navy about 2 years and 3 months ago shortly after completing his education at Blairgowrie High School. His training extended over 18 months and he had been at sea for about 6 months when he made the supreme sacrifice. Telegraphist Collie was a member of the local troop of Boy Scouts. He was for a short time in the Home Guard and afterwards in the Air Training Corps (Strathmore Squadron) before enlisting in the Navy. Telegraphist Collie was a very promising youth with most likeable qualities and his untimely death will be deeply regretted by many friends. In their sad bereavement his father and the other relatives will have the sincere sympathy of the community."
Ian Collie is commemorated on Panel 88 Column 3 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial, England. He is also commemorated on both the Blairgowrie High School Memorial Board and St Andrew's Church Memorial Plaque.
Related Content:
Can you help us to add to our records?
The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them
Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area?
If so please let us know.
Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.
Celebrate your own Family History
Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.
Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.
The free section of the Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers. We have been helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items.
The website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources and we currently have a huge backlog of submissions.
If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running.
Hosted by:
Copyright MCMXCIX - MMXXIV
- All Rights Reserved
We do not permit the use of any content from this website for the training of LLMs or for use in Generative AI, it also may not be scraped for the purpose of creating other websites.