On Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium is the name of 77905 Private Frederick  Atkinson, serving in ‘D’ Company, 15th (Service) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, who died 18/04/1918.

The son of John Edward and Jane Elizabeth Atkinson, of 18, Dean Road, South Shields.

In South Shields (Harton) Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:

In loving memory of
John Edwards
the beloved husband of
Jane E. Atkinson
who died October 26th 1928

also Captain James Atkinson
lost at sea June 17th 1917.

Also Frederick Atkinson
killed in action April 18th 1918.

Beloved sons of the above.

Also Jane Elizabeth
wife of the above,
who died April 16th 1941.

Also Ser. Wilfred Venus
Atkinson, R.A.F.V.R.
grandson of the above,
killed in action August 30th 1941.

Also John Edward
eldest son of the above
died 31st March 1971
aged 93 years.

Frederick Atkinson was born the youngest son of twelve children in June 1889, baptised 24th July 1889, to father John Edward Atkinson, born December 1855 died 26th October 1928, and his wife Jane Elizabeth nee Venus, Atkinson, born 25th June 1856, died 16th April 1941. They were married on the 25th December 1874 at St Hilda’s Church, South Shields.

The other children were:-

• Mary Elizabeth Atkinson, born 16th My 1875, died 31st December 1876 at 30 Walpole Street, South Shields.
• John Edward Atkinson, born 23rd May 1877, baptised 13th June 1877. He married an Isabella nee Johnson, born 23rd February 1875, in 1899 at South Shields. In 1921, they are residing at 21 Marine Approach, South Shields. They had two children John Edward Atkinson, born 1901 and Doris Atkinson born 1904. John is a Grocer and Provisions dealer, like his father. By 1939, they were residing at 1 Grosvenor Road, South Shields. John Edward Atkinson died at Rockcliffe House, Westoe village, South Shields on the 31st March 1971.
• Jane Ann ‘Annie’ Atkinson, born 22nd July 1879, baptised 6th August 1879, died 28th November 1961 at Ingham Infirmary, she married a William Bradford Arkle in 1897, died 2nd April 1920, a Master Grocer, and they had three children, Lilian Arkle, born 20th December 1899, [she married a Frank Lord in 1919], and John William  Arkle, baptised 19th April 1898, died 23rd February 1961. [He married an Ada Parkin in 1918]. In 1891, they were residing at 314 South Palmerston Street, South Shields. By 1939, Jane Ann had remarried an Edward G, Scott, born 12th August 1874, died 1960, also there was a child Mildred Arkle, born 20th August 1920, died 1975, who was a Grocery Shop Assistant. {Mildred married an Alfred W. Davison in 1940, after he died, she married again to an Amos Overton in 1981}. They were all residing at 157 Grosvenor Road, South Shields.
• James Atkinson, born December 21st? 1884, baptised 17th January 1885, died 17th June 1917 at sea in WW1.
• Ralph Venus Atkinson, born 18th July 1886, baptised 10th August 1886, died 3rd April 1959. He married a Sarah Ann ‘Annie’. nee Kerr, Atkinson, born 22nd April 1890, on the 4th August 1913. Ralph was conscripted as a ‘Derby ‘Man, Group 35 Married. Called up on the 10th December 1915, but did not mobilise until the 31st March 1917 at London. Ralph was 5 feet ten inches, 150lbs with a fair complexion. His address was 14 Armstrong Terrace, South Shields with his wife and two children. He was posted into the Honourable Artillery Company on the 31st March 1917 with the service number 625981. Rank was a Gunner.  He was in the Reserve Brigade before being posted into the 309th Siege Battery. A new service number of 625981 was allocated to him. [The 309th Siege Battery was a unit of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) raised by the Honourable Artillery Company during World War I. Formed in April 1917, the battery was primarily equipped with 6-inch howitzers and saw active service on the Western Front in France]. This Siege unit came under the 47th Heavy Artillery Brigade along with the 109th Siege Battery, 146th Siege Battery and 156th Siege Battery. Sent to France on the 6th November 1917. He was discharged on the 15th February 1919 from Ripon and was going to reside at 3 Shrewsbury Terrace. South Shields. He was awarded two medals. She was a Grocers Manageress with Ralph who was a Master Grocer residing at 6 Lismore Avenue, South Shields in 1939.  Ralph was a Grocer and was initiated into the John Readhead Lodge of Freemasons on 2nd November 1914, in South Shields. By 1921, they had two children, Wilfred Venus Atkinson, born 15th May 1914, died 30th August 1941 in WW2 and a Lorna Atkinson, born 1915, died 1997, she married a Frank Reavley, born 11th June 1910, died 1974.
• Bartholomew Atkinson, born 10th September 1888, baptised 30th September 1888, died 29th May 1951 at Ingham Infirmary. He obtained his First Mate certificate on the 8th August 1910, in South Shields. On the 1st October 1912, Bartholomew was initiated into the Hadrian Lodge of Freemasons, as a Master Mariner; Bartholomew was admitted to a naval hospital in Strathpeffer, Scotland, on the 9th August 1918, for Gastritis, and was discharged on 27th August 1918. After the war, Bartholomew was awarded the three 1914-1920 medals [Star, Victory and British War]. On the 9th May 1928, Bartholomew Atkinson arrived, as Master, in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on Coralstone, ship number 147676, from Newcastle upon Tyne. 6th August 1930, Bartholomew arrived, as Master, at New Orleans, Louisiana, from Cienfuegos, on Lady Astley, ship number 122839. 12th December 1930, Bartholomew arrived, as Master, at New York, USA, from Puerto de Vita, Cuba, on Lady Astley, ship number 122839, having left Swansea on 17th February 1930. in 1939, Bartholomew was residing with his mother at 230 Dean Street, South Shields and he was single residing at 6, Osborne Terrace, South Shields.
• Lilian Atkinson, born 23rd January 1891, baptised 15th February 1891, died 19th March 1981. she married William H. Burn in 1916, in South Shields. in 1921, Lilian was residing with her parents and her son, Frederick Atkinson Burn, born 1st July 1918, at 18 Dean Road, South Shields. In 1939, Lilian was residing at 230 Dean Road, with her parents and Lilian, born 22nd April 1922, a shorthand typist [no surname given, but she would later marry John M. Hanson, in 1945, in South Shields]; Lilian Burn, of 109 Old Road East, Gravesend, Kent, died aged 90, on 19th March 1981.
• Margaret Atkinson, born 27th April 1894, baptised 13th May 1894, died 1976. She married a James Potter, born 28th November 1892, [surname incorrectly given as Petter], died 12th October 1983, in 1918, in South Shields. In 1921, Margaret and James were residing at 5 Clifton Lee, South Shields with their two children, James Atkinson Potter, born 2nd March 1919, a Civil Servant in the Ministry of Labour, was still at home, and single, in 1939. James Atkinson Potter of 24, Park Hill, Bickley, Bromley, Kent, died 16th June 1982, and Douglas Potter, born 22nd April 1921, was residing, in 1939, with Arthur and Elsie Angel at 27, Ruskin Avenue, Welling, Bexley, Kent, he was a Clerical Officer at the Royal Ordnance Factory. He married Doris, nee Campbell towards the end of 1945, in South Shields, he died, aged 82, on the 4th July 2003, in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. In 1939, James and Margaret were residing at 24, Cauldwell Villas, and James was a nautical Optician.
• William Cooper Atkinson, born 20th May 1896, died 1975 Windsor, Berkshire. He was in the Mercantile Marine in WW1. William was initiated into the Lord Barnard Lodge of the Freemasons, in South Shields, on the 4th March 1920, as an Engineer. He married an Edith nee Holmes, Atkinson  in 1923, born 31st January 1897, baptised 29th June 1897,

Two other children died very young.

In 1861, the father was residing at 13 Carpenter Place Westoe, South Shields. The father John Edward was the son of a Joseph Atkinson, {born 1815, died 1872 and his wife Margaret nee Cook, Atkinson, born 1815, died 1890}, he was a well known Tradesman in South Shields as a grocer and provision dealer for over 40 years. He was a ‘father’ to the South Shields Grocers Association becoming the vIce-president, in addition he represented the Association at the Federated Grocers Association in the General Purposes Committee. He became  member in 1906 of the South Shields Town Council for Deans Ward, which he represented for three years. He was a member of the South Shields Bowls Club. He died in a Nursing Home at Newcastle upon Tyne after a long illness at 38 Great North Road, Newcastle upon Tyne.

In 1901, Frederick was residing with his parents, John and Jane Elizabeth at 3, South Eldon Street, South Shields, and his father was a Grocer and Provision Merchant. By 1911, they had moved to 18 Dean Street, South Shields. In 1911 and 1921 the family are residing at 18 Dean Road, South Shields, prior to this address in 1901, they were at 3 South Eldon Street, South Shields. The shop was on the corner of  1 South Eldon Street, South Shields in 1921, there was also a branch at 13 Canterbury Street, South Shields.

Frederick Atkinson was educated at Westoe Secondary School and became a Clerk in the North Eastern Railway at Gatshead.

He attested at South Shields on the 24th June 1916. But was not called up until the 14th April 1917. Aged only 17 years and 11 months he was posted into the 2nd Training Reserve Battalion. [formerly 17th (Reserve) Battalion the Durham Light Infantry], on the 15th April 1917, service number 6599, rank private, 5 feet six and a half inches, 120lbs. [A considerable reorganisation of the reserve infantry battalions took place on the 1st September 1916. Before this date, most of the infantry regiments contained one or more reserve battalions of the regular and new armies. Recruits would be posted to these battalions for basic training, before they were posted to an active service unit. With the introduction of conscription, the regimental system simply could not cope with numbers. A new structure was put into place: the Training Reserve. The local nature of recruitment for infantry regiments was abandoned and the entire system centralised].

It was re-organised in 1917, with 4 main categories.
Young Soldier Battalions. For soldiers aged between 18 years and one month and 18 years and 5 months, who were in medical categories A4, B1 and C1.
Graduated Battalions. For soldiers aged between and 18 years and 5 months and 19 years, who were in medical categories A4, B1 and C1.
Junior Training Reserve Battalions. For soldiers aged under 18 years and 8 months, who were in medical categories A4, B1 and C1 for Young Soldier Battalions and B2, B3, C2 and C3 for others.
Senior Training Reserve Battalions For soldiers aged over 18 years and 8 months, who were in medical categories B1, B2, B3, C1, C2 and C3.
Source: The Long Long Trail.

Frederick then was posted to the 1st Battalion Training Reserve Battalion at Rugeley with the service number TR5/3943 on the 18th August 1917. [Part of the 1st Training Reserve Brigade, as the 1st Training Battalion were disbanded at the end of November 1917]. On the 27th September 1917, Frederick was appointed an unpaid Lance-Corporal. At his own request later he reverted back to a private. He then was transferred into ‘B’ Company of the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry who are based at Seaham on the 8th October 1917.
Whilst at Seaham, Frederick went missing from a Tattoo on the 15th December 1917, and returned the following day. He received a 2 day pay forfeit punishment.

Frederick was posted to ‘E’ Depot then to the 18th (Service) Battalion on the 21st December 1917, but is then reposted to the 15th (Service) Battalion on the 24th December 1917. He joined his battalion on the 29th December 1917 in the field with 18 of his comrades at Lieramount. He was posted into ‘D’ Company.

War Diary states that Intense shelling had again to endured on the morning of the 17th. It lasted for over two hours. The Germans advanced at 7.30 am. Weight of numbers broke the defensive line at Wytschaete, [Whitesheets],  and the gap was widened. Somer Farm on the left was taken but the 15th still held North House, due north of Wytschaete. At half past five on the 18th April , ‘A’ Company attacked Somer farm and won the trench in front of it. It was on the 18th that Frederick was killed and his body never was recovered.

John Edward Atkinson, received £7 4s {shillings} followed by a war gratuity of £3  10s {shillings}.

The mother in 1939 was residing at 230 Dean Road, South Shields with her son Bartholomew.

See brother James Atkinson and nephew Wilfred Venus Atkinson‘s stories.

Sources: The James Hoy Archive: The Western Front Association; The National Archives; The British Newspaper Archive; War Diaries; The Merchant Navy Archive; Billy McGee; Railway Museum at York; Jennifer Stephenson; The Long Long Trail;

Frederick Atkinson is remembered at Harton on H104.03 and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance, page  89, also at York on the Railway Memorial and in their Roll of Honour.