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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Pte Hugh Atkinson
British Army 19th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers
from:5, Dene Gardens, Station Rd., Bill Quay, Pelaw, Co. Durham
(d.1st June 1918)
Atkinson, Hugh. Private, 19/1006, Killed in action Aveluy Wood on 1st June 1918. Aged 31 years. Member of "Z" Coy.
Buried in the Martinsart British Cemetery Somme, in grave I. B. 5.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Atkinson, of 5, Dene Gardens, Station Rd., Bill Quay, Pelaw, Co. Durham.
From the 19th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers Roll of Honour.
Rgmtl Sjt Mjr. J. J. Atkinson
Army Durham Light Infantry
Pte. J.T. Atkinson
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Newcastle
J T Akinson was evacuated from the battlefield on the 3rd of July 1916. He was discharged 10th April 1918.
Lt. James Morgan Atkinson
Royal Flying Corps 4 Sqdn.
from:Ferns, Co Wicklow, Ireland
My grandfather James Morgan served as an observer in No 4 Squadron of the RFC and was based at Abeele Aaerodrome in West Flanders in 1917. He and his pilot Wilfred Morgan were shot down in RE8 Plane Serial No B5040 behind enemy lines near Ypres on 12 Oct 1917.
Wilfred Morgan died in a POW camp of his wounds. My grandfather - Morgan as he was known - survived in a POW camp in Baden and Heidelberg until his repatriation in August 1918. His gunshot wound in the back and hip severed his sciatic nerve and he suffered paralysis in his foot. He laterally had several amputations of his leg and ended up with a wooden leg below his knee.
My granddad died in 1970 when I was 8 years old. He never spoke to any of us about his experiences but I do remember there was a picture of the gravestone of his pilot Wilfred Morgan on the mantelpiece on their small holding farm in Clonmore, Co Carlow in the Republic of Ireland. My aunt has spent many years researching our family tree and has produced a little booklet about Granddad's war years. One burning ambition is to try and find out more about his RFC time. He had started in WWI in the ASC Divisional Train - he loved horses.
Able Seaman James Atkinson
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve 190th Coy. Machine Gun Corps
(d.13th Feb 1917)
James Atkinson served in 190th Coy. Machine Gun Corps.
Sgt. John Atkinson
British Army 20th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:5 Shildon Street, Darlington
With the outbreak of the First World War John Atkinson enlisted on the 10th August 1914 in the 3rd Training Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (Army Number 22546). The Northern Echo of 1st March 1916 shows him as a Lance-Corp. serving with the 3rd’s in France. On 14th October 1916 he is recorded as a Sergeant, suffering from shell shock and on 26th March 1917 he had been wounded and was in a base hospital in France. He retained the scar of the wound in his right forearm and the remnant of the bullet in his shoulder.
He never talked much about his experiences on the Somme, other than to relate the time when he was in the ambulance from the front to field hospital. Alongside him was a Prussian Guard who, seeing the marksman badge on Dad’s sleeve (he was a sniper), Dad related he would have killed him if he could. He was wounded at St. Eloi, near Ypres, and our former home at Aycliffe bears that name to this day.
Whilst searching the 1943 edition of the Darlington & Stockton Times the following article of 10th September 1943 emerged:
Great War Comrades Meet at Durham.
The swearing in of Mr. Roland Jennings, M.P., of Whitburn, Sunderland, as a county magistrate at Durham Quarter Sessions on Wednesday was followed by an informal reunion with one of his Great War comrades in arms.
On the bench was Mr. John Atkinson, of Great Aycliffe, who during the Great War was a platoon sergeant in the 20th Batt. Durham Light Infantry. Recognising his former officer, Mr. Atkinson left the court and had a happy chat with Mr. Jennings. In particular they recalled an episode at St. Eloi in 1917 when Sergt. Atkinson was wounded while attacking with a Lewis gun a German machine-gun nest at a 40 yards range in no man’s land. Mr. Jennings, then a second-lieutenant, came to the rescue, helped Sergt. Atkinson back to the British lines and dressed his wound. Mr. Jennings, chartered accountant, was M.P. for Sedgefield from 1931 to 1935 and has been M.P. for the Hallam Division of Sheffield since 1939. Mr. Atkinson is Aycliffe representative on the Darlington Rural Council and, as a J.P., sits on the Spennymoor and Darlington County Benches.
Postscript- the 20th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry (Wearside), the "Faithful Durhams", after training at Barnard Castle were at Aldershot on 7th January 1916 (Northern Echo). They were the only North-country battalion in the 41st Division with a high proportion of miners and it became well known for its digging abilities. They moved to France in May 1916 based around Armentieres (my father talked about the place as a place they relaxed in).
From John Sheen’s book emerges a detailed record of the Battalion and its movements as follows: The 20th Battalion DLI was part of the 123rd Brigade along with the 11th Queens, 10th Royal West Kent, and 23rd Middlesex. The Brigade was part of the 41st Division, which in turn was part of the 15th Corps.
- 1/5/1916 Moved to embarkation positions.
- 4/5/1916 Entrained Farnborough and embarked SS Arundal at Southampton.
- 5/5/1916 Gare des Marchandises – Godewaerswelde (Belgium). Probably John joined the Battalion here??
- 10/5/1916 Ypres Salient – frontline for instruction in trench warfare.
- 28/5/1916 Le Bizet/Armentieres.
- 29/5/1916 22 officers & 696 men into the front line.
- 23/8/1916 Bailleul to Somme Front (Longpre les Corps Sants) then marched to Yaucourt Bussus.
- 7/9/1916 Train Longpre to Mericourt then camp near Becorel outside Albert.
- 12 – 13/9/1916 Into line with the 11th Queens.
- 14/9/1916 Back to Pommiers Redoubt then back to the battle at Flers (with tanks). 123rd Brigade in reserve behind 122nd Brigade (no fighting but with casualties from shelling – possible source of John's shell shock reported in the press on 14/10 1916)
- 17/9/1916 Moved to the Montauban line then Bercondal for attack training.
- 27/9/1916 Much reconnaiscence into No Man’s Land.
- 1/101916 Back to Pommiers Redoubt.
- 3/10/1916 Camp at Memetz Wood – resting.
- 7.10/1916 800 yards behind Flers.
- 17/10/1916 Left Somme and entrained at Dernancourt to Oismont (via Amiens). Arrived 18/19/1916. Battalion strength 1068. From 23/8 to 17/10/1916 casualties 98 dead, 200+ wounded.
- 20/10/1916 Train from Pont Remy to Godeswaersvelde (Dickebusch Sector)
- 22/10/1916 Renningshelst.
- 3/11/1916 Back to trenches – skirmishes.
- 12/11/1916 Ontario Camp (Dickebusch)
- 18/11/1916 SNOW – COLD. Fighting dimishes but still casulaties. Battalion strength 29 officers and 828 men.
- 23/11/1916 Ontario Camp.
- December 1916 In and out of the line.
- Christmas Day Trench mortar activity.
- 29/12/1916 Ontario Camp (Ypres Salient)
- New Year’s Day 1917. Some had baths – practicing – operating Lewis Guns. Strength 19 officers (-10) and 463 (-365) men.
- 3/1/1917 In the line – very wet.
- 8/1/1916 New officers joined the Battalion, including R. Jennings.
- 17/1/1917 Back in the line.
- 21/1/1917 Snow – back to Ontario Camp.
- 28/1/1917 Back in the line.
- Early February 1917. Clearing trenches – back and forward to Ontario Camp.
- 17/2/1917 Routine fighting – in and out through February into March. Battalion football competition – church in Reninghelst.
- 5/3/1917 Took over from East Surrey’s.. Snow and mist. Things described as quiet – in and out the line.
- 18/3/1917. Skirmishes and shelling – likely time when John was wounded (Northern Echo report on 26/3/1917.
- 24/3/1917 Battalion out of the line and on ‘stand-by’.
John used to talk about the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley in Hampshire - an existing pre-war military hospital as the place he received on-going treatment for his wounds prior to him moving to Croydon for a time before ultimately finishing up at Woodside Hospital Darlington where he was Orderly Sergeant. He was finally honourably discharged on 13th December 1917.
Field Sgt. John Atkinson
British Army 20th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:Darlington
With the outbreak of the First World War John Atkinson enlisted on the 10th August 1914 in the 3rd Training Battalion Durham Light Infantry (Army Number 22546) and the Northern Echo of 1st March 1916 shows him as a Lance-Corp. serving with the 3rd’s in France. On 14th October 1916 he is recorded as a Sergeant suffering from shell shock and on 26th March 1917 he had been wounded and was in a base hospital in France. He retained the scar of the wound in his right forearm and the remnant of the bullet in his shoulder.
He never talked much about his experiences on the Somme in W.W.1 other than to relate the time when he was in the ambulance from the front to field hospital. Alongside him was a Prussian Guard who, seeing the marksman badge on Dad’s sleeve (he was a sniper), Dad relates,â€he would have killed him if he couldâ€. He was wounded at St. Eloi, near Ypres, and our former home at Aycliffe, near Darlington, bears that name to this day.
However, whilst searching the 1943 edition of the Darlington & Stockton Times the following article of 10th September 1943 emerged:
Great War Comrades Meet at Durham.
The swearing in of Mr. Roland Jennings, M.P., of Whitburn, Sunderland, as a county magistrate at Durham Quarter Sessions on Wednesday was followed by an informal reunion with one of his Great War comrades in arms.
On the bench was Mr. John Atkinson, of Great Aycliffe, who during the Great War was a platoon sergeant in the 20th Batt. Durham Light Infantry. Recognising his former officer, Mr. Atkinson left the court and had a happy chat with Mr. Jennings. In particular they recalled an episode at St. Eloi in 1917 when Sergt. Atkinson was wounded while attacking with a Lewis gun a German machine-gun nest at a 40 yards range in no man’s land. Mr. Jennings, then a second-lieutenant, came to the rescue, helped Sergt. Atkinson back to the British lines and dressed his wound.
Mr. Jennings, chartered accountant, was M.P. for Sedgefield from 1931 to 1935 and has been M.P. for the Hallam Division of Sheffield since 1939. Mr. Atkinson is Aycliffe representative on the Darlington Rural Council and, as a J.P., sits on the Spennymoor and Darlington County Benches.
(Postscripts) – the 20th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry (Wearside), the “Faithful Durhamsâ€, after training at Barnard Castle were at Aldershot on 7th January 1916 (Northern Echo). They were the only North-country battalion in the 41st Division with a high proportion of miners and it became well known for its digging abilities. They moved to France in May 1916 based around Armentieres (my father talked about the place as a place they relaxed in).
From John Sheen’s book emerges a detailed record of the Battalion and its movements as follows:
The 20th Battalion DLI was part of the 123rd Brigade along with the 11th Queens, 10th Royal West Kent, and 23rd Middlesex. The Brigade was part of the 41st Division, which in turn was part of the 15th Corps.
- 1/5/1916 Moved to embarkation positions.
- 4/5/1916 Entrained Farnborough and embarked SS Arundal at Southampton
- 5/5/1916 Gare des Marchandises – Godewaerswelde (Belgium).Probably John joined the Battalion here??
- 10/5/1916 Ypres Salient – frontline for instruction in trench warfare.
- 28/5/1916 Le Bizet/Armentieres.
- 29/5/1916 22 officers & 696 men into the front line.
- 23/8/1916 Bailleul to Somme Front (Longpre les Corps Sants) then marched to Yaucourt Bussus.
- 7/9/1916 Train Longpre to Mericourt then camp near Becorel outside Albert.
- 12 – 13/9/1916 Into line with the 11th Queens.
- 14/9/1916 Back to Pommiers Redoubt then back to the Battle at Flers (with tanks). 123rd Brigade in reserve behind 122nd Brigade (no fighting but with casualties from shelling – possible source of John’s shell shock reported in the press on 14/10 1916)
- 17/9/1916 Moved to the Montauban line then Bercondal for attacktraining.
- 27/9/1916 Much reconnaiscence into No Man’s Land.
- 1/101916 Back to Pommiers Redoubt.
- 3/10/1916 Camp at Memetz Wood – resting.
- 7/10/1916 800 yards behind Flers.
- 17/10/1916 Left Somme and entrained at Dernancourt to Oismont (via Amiens). Arrived 18/10/1916.. Battalion strength 1068. From 23/8 to 17/10/1916 casualties 98 dead, 200+ wounded.
- 20/10/1916 Train from Pont Remy to Godeswaersvelde (Dickebusch Sector)
- 22/10/1916 Renningshelst.
- 3/11/1916 Back to trenches – skirmishes.
- 12/11/1916 Ontario Camp (Dickebusch)
- 18/11/1916 SNOW – COLD. Fighting dimishes but still casulaties. Battalion strength 29 officers and 828 men.
- 23/11/1916 Ontario Camp.
- December 1916 In and out of the line.
- Christmas Day Trench mortar activity.
- 29/12/1916 Ontario Camp (Ypres Salient)
- New Year’s Day 1917. Some had baths – practicing – operating Lewis Guns. Strength 19 officers (-10) and 463 (-365) men.
- 3/1/1917 In the line – very wet.
- 8/1/1916 New officers joined the Battalion, including R. Jennings.
- 17/1/1917 Back in the line.
- 21/1/1917 SNOW – back to Ontario Camp.
- 28/1/1917 Back in the line.
- Early February 1917. Clearing trenches – back and forward to Ontario Camp.
- 17/2/1917 Routine fighting – in and out through February into March. Battalion football competition – church in Reninghelst.
- 5/3/1917 Took over from East Surrey’s.. Snow and mist. Things described as quiet – in and out the line.
- 18/3/1917. Skirmishes and shelling – likely time when John was wounded (Northern Echo report on 26/3/1917.
- 24/3/1917 Battalion out of the line and on ‘stand-by’.
John used to talk about the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley in Hampshire - an existing pre-war military hospital as the place he received on-going treatment for his wounds prior to him moving to Croydon for a time before ultimately finishing up at Woodside Hospital Darlington where he was Orderly Sergeant. He was finally honourably discharged on 13th December 1917.
Postscript by Lewis Atkinson, John’s son: My son and I are currently tracing family records and we came across the following article by my father dated 11th November 1929 in a Darlington newspaper. He served and was wounded twice in the First World War.
“Once again the Empire today does homage to that vast, immortal army who died that we might live. Again it is vividly brought home to us by the sight of Flanders poppies, religious and other national memorial services, of the terrific sacrifices made by the British Empire during that tragic conflict.
Again, we ex-Servicemen think of those with whom we marched along the roads to the familiar strains of ‘Tipperary’, ‘Who’s your lady friend?’ and the like who are no more. We recall the training, the embarkation, our baptism of fire, the walking wounded wending their way back to the dressing stations, followed by screaming murderous shells; the stretcher cases, the lines of men outside the casualty stations, the on-coming troops, guns, transport, ever moving forward; Ypres, Armentieres, Vimy Ridge, Albert, the mud, aerial torpedoes, whizz-bangs, and Heaven knows what else. And I often ask myself, ‘Was it worthwhile?’ I say most emphatically, never again must the British Empire be plunged into such a catastrophe! Never again. They died that we might liveâ€
John Atkinson
British Army 20th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:Darlington
Pte. John Atkinson
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Teams Colliery
John Atkinson was wounded in October 1916
Pte. John Simeon "Akky" Atkinson
British Army 2/7th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment
from:Woodhouse, Leeds
(d.19th March 1917 or 19th November 1917)
There is some discrepancy with the CWGC on date of John Simeon Atkinson's death as with his middle name as it is Simeon or Lineon. The Buslingthorpe Road Church Memorial at St. Michaels said John S. Atkinson 265907 which does bear in with all the facts from my aunt who is still alive to date(19/4/16).
His brother, Harry, survived the Great War but when questioned he simply said you don't want to know about that.
Their future brother-in-law, William Kirkley, is on the same memorial of St. Michaels which got demolished in the early 1960's, so the memorial was then placed in St.Marks Church Woodhouse, Leeds.
Sgt. John William Atkinson MM.
British Army 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
My great grand father, John Atkinson, also known as Jack, served in the 5th Battalion the Durham Light Infantry 1914- 1918. He was a coal miner from Trimdon Colliery in County Durham and worked at Deaf Hill pit.
He entered the theatre of war on the 31st of October 1916 and went on to be wounded on the 17th of September 1916 during the battle of Flers Courcelette. He returned to active service in June 1917 and won the Military Medal during the Battle of Estaires on the 9th of April 1918. On the 27th of May 1918 he was taken prisoner during the third battle of the Aisne and was incarcerated in Damstadt POW camp. After repatriation he returned to the mining industry and passed away in 1951 aged 68.
I believe J W Atkinson is seen on a photo supplied to this site by J Miller of Durham Light Infantry prisoners of war- bottom left front row.
Private John Atkinson
1st Btn. Royal Marine Light Infantry
(d.8 Oct 1918)
John Atkinson served in 1st Btn. Royal Marine Light Infantry Remembered at . WW1
Able Seaman John Charles Atkinson
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve H.M.S. Duke of Albany.
(d.24 Aug 1916)
John Atkinson served in H.M.S. Duke of Albany. Remembered at . WW1
Boy 1st Class John Ernest Atkinson
Royal Navy H.M.S. Stephen Furness.
(d.13 Dec 1917)
John Atkinson served in H.M.S. Stephen Furness. Remembered at . WW1
Able Seaman John Scott Atkinson
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Hood Btn. Royal Naval Division
(d.30 Dec 1917)
John Atkinson served in Hood Btn. Royal Naval Division Remembered at . WW1
L Cpl John Henry "Jack" Atkinson
British Army 7th Btn 9th Platoon West Yorkshire Regiment
from:Micklefield
My grandfather John Atkinson was born in 1892, he survived the war and became an engineer. He married Hester Holroyd and lived in Seacroft Leeds for many years before moving south to live near their daughter. He died in Ottery St Mary, Devon in 1985.
Able Seaman Jonas Atkinson
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Hawke Btn. Royal Naval Division
(d.19 Jun 1915)
Jonas Atkinson served in Hawke Btn. Royal Naval Division Remembered at . WW1
Major. K. P. A. Atkinson
Royal Flying Corps 11 Squadron
This is a commemorative propeller of Christmas 1916 from 11 Squadron RFC.
Able Seaman Lance Atkinson
Royal Navy H.M.S. Vanguard.
(d.9 Jul 1917)
Lance Atkinson served in H.M.S. Vanguard. Remembered at . WW1
Telegraphist Leonard Hobster Atkinson
Royal Navy H.M.S. Bulwark.
(d.26 Nov 1914)
Leonard Atkinson served in H.M.S. Bulwark. Remembered at . WW1
Able Seaman Peter Atkinson
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Collingwood Btn. Royal Naval Division
(d.4 Jun 1915)
Peter Atkinson served in Collingwood Btn. Royal Naval Division Remembered at . WW1
Pte. R. Atkinson
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
Pte. Samuel Atkinson
British Army Lancashire Fusiliers
from:Heywood Lancashire
My Grandfather Samuel Atkinson, Lancashire Fusiliers, enlisted 26th of August 1916. He was wounded on the 14th of Sept 1917 and treated in Royal Victoria Hospital Netley with Gun shot wounds to his right side. Also wounded again 19th April 1918 gun shot wound to his left arm.
Pte. Stanley Robert Atkinson
British Army 2nd Btn Northumberland Fusiliers
(d.26th May 1915)
Stanley R Atkinson is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium
Private Thomas Atkinson
Royal Marine Light Infantry H.M.S. Bayano.
(d.11 Mar 1915)
Thomas Atkinson served in H.M.S. Bayano. Remembered at . WW1
Stoker 1st Class Thomas Atkinson
Royal Navy H.M.S. Bulwark.
(d.26 Nov 1914)
Thomas Atkinson served in H.M.S. Bulwark. Remembered at . WW1
Leading Seaman Thomas William Atkinson
Royal Navy Hood Btn. Royal Naval Division
(d.4 Jun 1915)
Thomas Atkinson served in Hood Btn. Royal Naval Division Remembered at . WW1
Pte. W. Atkinson
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Durham City
(d.1st July 1916)
Signalman Wallace Stevens Atkinson
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve H.M.P.M.S. Queen of the North.
(d.20 Jul 1917)
Wallace Atkinson served in H.M.P.M.S. Queen of the North. Remembered at . WW1
Pte. Walter Atkinson
British Army 1st Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers
from:16 Thursfield Road, Burnley, Lancashire.
(d.25th Apr 1915)
Walter Atkinson died on 25th April 1915, aged 22. He is commemorated on on the Helles Memorial in Gallipoli, Turkey.
Page 81 of 90
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