Barwick in Elmet & Scholes War Memorials Web Site

Pte. W. Atkinson

Name & Rank	Private William Atkinson
Unit	No. 12599, 10th Battalion., West Yorkshire Regiment
How & When Died	Killed in Action, 1 July 1916 - The first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Age, if known	33 years
Next of Kin details	Son of Charles and Margaret Atkinson, of 28, Freehold Street, York Road, Leeds; Husband of Sarah Hannah Atkinson, of 23, Franchise Street, York Road, Leeds.
Commemoration Details	No known grave, therefore, commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme, France. Pier and Face 2A, 2C, and 2D.
Other Information / Remarks	William Atkinson's battalion, 10th West Yorkshire Regiment, suffered more casualties than any other on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. The Commanding Officer, Lt Col Dickson and his Second in Command, Major J Knott, were both killed along with another twenty officers becoming casualties. The other ranks suffered at least 688 casualties. William Atkinson is further commemorated inside All Saints Church, Barwick, where a framed photograph and Description of the Thiepval Memorial is displayed along with the names of five men from both villages who are named on the memorial. He was born and enlisted in Leeds.
Photographs	Click Here