259683 Pte. John Atkinson British Army 2nd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry from:Swinton, Manchester (d.22nd Jan 1945) John Atkinson, son of Simeon and Martha Ellen Atkinson, was born on 18th of December 1914 in Swinton, Lancashire, and died in 1945 from a tropical disease after being in India with his battalion for 3 years. He had joined up in 1940 and went abroad in 1942. His wife Sarah, who lived at 19 Coniston Rd., Swinton, first received news he was dangerously ill from pneumonia and was assured by friends and family he had a good chance of recovery. Later on being told that he had died from a tropical disease, Sarah described how it affected her "Then a knock came on the door... I flew down, opened the letter, and read he had died, I almost dropped". They had one son. Before joining the Army, John had attended St. Peter's School and later worked for the L.U.T. bus depot in Swinton as a bus conductor. John is buried in Delhi War Cemetery.
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