Frank Collins (British Army soldier)
Frank Collins | |
---|---|
Religion | Church of England |
Alma mater | Oak Hill Theological College |
Personal | |
Nationality | British |
Born |
1956 or 1957 Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
Died |
16 June 1998 Stockbridge, Hampshire, England | (age 41)
Frank Collins (1956/57 - 16 June 1998), was a Church of England clergyman and the first 22 SAS soldier to enter the building in the Iranian Embassy Siege in 1980. Whilst with 22 SAS B Squadron Air (7) Troop, Collins served with both Al Slater, and Charles (Nish) Bruce QGM. He left the service in 1989 to pursue training for ordained ministry.[1]
After becoming vicar of St Peter with St Owen and St James in Hereford, he was commissioned as a chaplain in Territorial Army unit the 23 SAS Regiment and served as padre with the The Parachute Regiment.[1]
His autobiography, Baptism of Fire,[2] was published by Doubleday in 1997. He committed suicide by gassing himself in his car a year later when he became depressed after being told to resign from the army as Chaplain by the army authorities who were not happy about the book.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "SAS hero in suicide over book". The Independent. 17 September 1998. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ↑ , Baptism of Fire: The Astonishing True Story of a Man of God, Frank Collins PB. ISBN 0-552-14582-3, ISBN 0-385-40916-8