Janus: The Papers of Joseph Collins

Churchill contains:
<-- See earlier
CNDN	The Papers of Con Condren
COLL	Churchill College Archive
COLQ	The Papers of Brian Colquhoun
CORB	The Papers of Lieutenant-General Thomas Corbett
COSS	The Papers of Dr (Vernon) Ellis Cosslett
COWL	Press Photographs
CRES	The Papers of Captain John Creswell
CRFT	Archives of Lord Croft of Bournemouth (Sir Henry Page Croft)
CRKE	The Papers of Admiral Sir Henry Ralph Crooke
CRKR	The Memoirs of Sir Walter Crocker, 1902-1975
CRRD	The Papers of Major-General John Scott Crawford
See later -->

More information

Please feel free to contact the repository.

The Papers of Joseph Collins

Title	The Papers of Joseph Collins
Reference	GBR/0014/CLNS
Creator	Collins, Joseph Edward
Covering Dates	1941–1998
Extent and Medium	2 archive boxes
Repository	Churchill Archives Centre

Content and context

Joseph Collins was born in October 1916. After studying psychology in Australia at Melbourne University and in Britain (Diploma of Psychology and PHD, Birmingham University), he went on to serve first with the Australian Corps Signals (1936-1941), then for the rest of the war, with the Royal Australian Air Force (1941-1946), in RAF Coastal Command, initially as a radar instructor and then with 59 Squadron. He was awarded the Air Efficiency Award.

After the war, Collins resumed his medical career in Britain. He died in 1998, leaving a widow, Rita Collins.

The papers mainly consist of texts by Collins on the work of Coastal Command during the war, particularly in anti-submarine warfare and the role of the B24 Liberator Bomber in the Battle of the Atlantic, but also include his notes taken as Radar Leader of 59 Squadron RAF.

The papers were deposited at Churchill Archives Centre by Dr Collins and Mrs Rita Collins between 1992 and 1999.

The papers are owned by Churchill College.

Access and Use

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge. Churchill Archives Centre is open from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. A prior appointment and two forms of identification are required.

Researchers wishing to publish excerpts from the papers must obtain prior permission from the copyright holders and should seek advice from Archives Centre staff.

Please cite as Churchill Archives Centre, The Papers of Joseph Collins, CLNS

Further information

The papers are catalogued. Copies of the catalogue are available for consultation at Churchill Archives Centre and the Historical Manuscripts Commission.

This catalogue and fonds level description were created by Katharine Thomson of Churchill Archives Centre in January 2003 using information from the papers and also supplied by Dr Collins.

Index Terms

Air Warfare

Second World War (1939-1945)

Collins, Joseph Edward (1916-1998) Flight-Lieutenant, doctor

Churchill/CLNS contains:

Notes on 59 Squadron RAF. Notes and diary by Collins on the work of the squadron, with photographs, and copy of the section of the notebook on the history of the squadron. Also includes a copy of Collins's log book.
1 file.

1941–1945

Closing the Atlantic Gap. Paper by Collins on the role of the Liberator in the U-Boat campaign.
1 file.

c 1995

A Life on Coastal Command. Paper by Collins on his career with Coastal Command, 1941-1945, particularly on the Radar Schools. Also includes additional notes on the U-Boat campaign, by Collins and also Captain Wes Loney, with photographs.
1 file.

c 1992

Some Notes on Coastal Command. Paper by Collins with photographs on his career with Coastal Command, 1941-1945.
1 file.

c 1992

The Very Long Range Squadrons RAF. Paper by Collins on the use of Liberator bombers against U-Boats in Coastal Command, with an additional paper by Dick Cheek on the use of the Liberator in RAF service, and copies of contemporary procedure and training notes.
1 file.

c 1992

The American B24 Bomber, the Liberator, and its Introduction into the Battle of the Atlantic. Papers by Collins.
1 file.

c 1977

The Fleet Air Arm and the U-Boat War, and The RAF Squadrons and the U-Boat War. Papers by Collins.
1 file.

c 1997

Endurance: a History of RAAF Aircrew Participation in Liberator Operations of RAF Coastal Command, 1941-1945. Text of book by Alwyn Jay and Collins, with separate illustrative maps, charts and diagrams. Also includes extract from an article by David French on military education and methods of promotion.
3 files.

1992–1994

Correspondence and notes. Includes: correspondence with representatives of the Purbeck Radar Museum Trust; notes on the evolution of the U-Boat; copies of Collins's papers, including 'Closing the Central Atlantic Gap', 'The Fleet Air Arm and the U-Boat War', 'The Liberator in RAF Service', 'A Brief History of No 59 Squadron' and "The American B24 Bomber'.
1 file.

Mar 1993-Dec 1998