Jacob Colinsky (COL9754)

Places

Addresses

Parents' Home:

5 Brady S Buildings, Whitechapel, London (1911)

Other Organisations

Name:

Jewish Lads' Brigade

Extracts from Jacob's Diary - Kept from Feb 1917 to May 1918

3 June 1917
First experience of gas and tear shell attack. Between 11pm 5pm Monday morning. Mask on for 1 hour.

6 June 1917
LL call from the air in the Messines stunt 5,000 Infantry spotted going towards trenches. A treat to hear guns open.

7 June 1917
446 tonnes of explosives - sent up in German lines - terrible thought Earth had come to an end. 2nd tear and gas attack. All night. Beginning of strafe. Cried like a baby.

24 July 1917
Addressed on parade by Maj. General Trenchard C/O RFC in France

4 Aug 1917
3rd Anniversary of War. Called out for 52nd Squadron to proceed up the line. Cancelled owing to not being equipped.

7 Aug 1917
Wireless boys personally congratulated by Maj. General Trenchard.

28 Aug 1917
Posted from 16 Squadron to Central Wireless Station Bouvigny in front of Lens.

18 Sep 1917
Arrived at St. Lieven just behind Lens. 4.5 How. Field Battery. D48. Also my birthday 24 years.

22 Sep 1917
4th night with Battery Aerial shot away - Gas (mustard) sent over from 12.00 p.m. to 1.30 p.m. (no sleep). Direct hits on cellar. Driver
Riley - D48 Howitzer Battery 2nd Air Brigade 1st Canadian Division.

24 Oct 1917
Left Hosin Coupigny for Ypres front - Arrived at rest camp in afternoon near Abeele - slept night at rest camp under canvas.

26 Oct 1917
V. firece bombardment on at Ypres all previous night.

27 Oct 1917
Left Dickebush for Zilebeke. Arrived 12 noon. Bombarding all round the vicinity 6 Squadron area (Hell on earth).

28 Oct 1917
New position shell heavily all the afternoon. Hell on earth - ordered to leave Wireless Cabin - could not see me for dust down road.

1 Nov 1917
Shelled heavily all day. Went down a deep sap - direct hit on it - made me shake. Couldn't keep aerial up - living hell.

2 Nov 1917
Gas put over every morning in this posy.

3 Nov 1917
Another Fritz'y Field Day. 5.9's all round us. Feeling - unimaginable - Good sip of rum (after effects) (nerves steadier). Times London seems 1000000's of miles away. All six guns out of action/nothing doing/just behind Sanctuary Wood.

6 Nov 1917
Shell dropped outside dug-out whilst in bed - marvellous how quick one can dress under these circumstances.

8 Nov 1917
Started on a horse clipping stunt

Military Record

Military service:

Royal Air Force

Military record no.:

44349

Date discharged/death:

23 May 1918

Rank at discharge/death:

Airman 2nd Class

Sustained injuries:

Killed in Action

Assignments

Regiment:

Royal Garrison Artillery

Battalion/unit:

165th Heavy Battery

Posting:

The Somme, France

Regiment:

Royal Air Force

Battalion/unit:

13th Squadron

Posting:

The Somme, France

Campaigns:

Jacob was employed as a wireless operator on the front lines and in May 1918 was hit in an artillery attack and died from his wounds.

Roll of Honour

J. COLINSKY, 23 May 1918

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