5 Nov 1894 Bill Atkin born Thornton le Moor, Lincolnshire (Father John Atkin, Mother Jane Atkin)
1901 Census William Atkin, Humberstone, Lincolnshire aged 5
6 March 1906 Admitted School at Swallow previous school Rothwell aged 10
29 Aug 1908 leaves school aged 12
1911 Census William Atkin, Farm Labourer, Swallow near Caistor aged 15 (Father working as a Sheperd)
11 Dec 1915 attested under Derby Scheme at Grimsby aged 21
12 Dec 1915 transfer to Army Reserve. Farm Labourer, Residence Swallow Vale, Caistor, Lincolnshire
15-16 March 1916 inquiry to Dr Stanley Bott, Caistor about alleged fits, not confirmed by Dr
23 March 1916 inquiry about his location made to his employer Mr Saul Gilliatt, a Farmer of Swallow, Caistor
27 March 1916 reply from Mr Samuel Gilliatt
29 March 1916 mobilized aged 22
30 March 1916 arrested as an absentee in Caistor by Police
31 March 1916 brought before a Justice
1 April 1916 reported for duty
2 April 1916 posted to Lincolnshire Regiment Depot as 22411 Private Bill Atkin, Lincolnshire Regiment
4 April 1916 posted to 3rd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment at Grimsby
6 Aug to 14 Aug 1916 absent without leave
23 Sept to 4 Oct 1916 absent without leave
11 Oct 1916 posted to BEF France, departed Folkestone
12 Oct 1916 landed Boulogne arrived no 9 Infantry Base Depot
27 Oct 1916 posted to 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, 25th Infantry Brigade in 8th Division
Served in ‘A’ Company, no 1 Platoon
14 March – 5 April 1917 German retreat to the Hindenburg Line
23 May 1917 Listed as present with 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment by Telegraph
31 July – 2 Aug 1917 The Battle of Pilkem
16 Aug– 18 Aug 1917 The Battle of Langemarck
The word “Death” is on his service record at this point. His death might have been assumed but later found out he was in the casualty chain, or faked his death in an attempt to desert.
24 Aug 1917 admitted no 58 General Hospital at St Omer
8 Sept 1917 admitted no 7 Convalescent Depot Boulogne
10 Sept 1917 admitted no 10 Convalescent Depot Écault, Pas-de-Calais
20 Sept 1917 admitted no 14 Convalescent Depot Tourville
21 Oct 1917 arrived no 9 Infantry Base Depot
23 Oct to 26 Oct 1917 reported missing
27 Oct to 17 Nov 1917 in custody awaiting trial
17 Nov 1917 Field General Court Martial awarded 9 months Hard Labour for desertion (absent after being warned for a draft to battalion)
18 Nov 1917, Orders received that he was not to be committed to prison until further orders. (Forfeits 3 days pay)
24 Nov 1917 the sentence awarded on 17 Nov 1917 is suspended
30 Nov 1917 proceeded to join 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
6 Dec 1917 re-joined 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
4 Feb 1918 the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment transferred to 62nd Brigade, 21st Division. VII Corps (Congreve) Fifth Army (Gough)
21 March 1918 wounded in action from a Gas Shell on the first day of the Battle of St Quentin
21 March 1918 Admitted no 63 Field Ambulance
23 March 1918 admitted no10 General Hospital at Rouen
26 March 1918 admitted no2 Convalescent Depot at Buchy, Rouen
2 April 1918 arrived at ‘K’ Infantry Base Depot at Calais
9 April 1918 he was meant to have left to join 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
9 – 14 April 1918 absent without leave
15 April 1918 found in the ‘K’ Infantry Base Depot at Calais
4 June 1918 letter from mother requesting information on location of her son
25 June 1918 awarded 28 days Field Punishment no 1
26 June 1918 to Field Punishment Compound
6 July 1918 admitted ‘Not Yet Diagnosed sick’ no 51 General Hospital at Etaples
7 July 1918 admitted ‘sick’ no 30 General Hospital at Calais
28 Sept 1918 discharged to duty
29 Sept 1918 joined ‘K’ Infantry Base Depot at Calais
10 Oct 1918 28 days Field Punishment for absence
8 Nov 1918 re-joined 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
1 Jan 1919 admitted ‘jaundice’ no 41 Stationary Hospital at Amiens
6 Jan 1919 admitted no 6 General Hospital at Rouen
11 Jan 1919 to England per HM Hospital Ship ‘St Patrick’
10 April to 17 April 1919 absent without leave
16 April 1919 Enquiry to mother about his location she states he left his home at Caistor for Ireland on this date
17 April 1919 posted to 3rd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment in Cork Ireland
23 April 1919 discharged and re-enlisted as 64242 Private Bill Atkin, Lincolnshire Regiment for 2 years, 3 months at Cahir, Ireland
26 April 1919 address on letter to a friend was ‘A’ Company, 3rd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, Infantry Barracks, Waterford
5 May 1919 the suspended sentence from Nov 1917 remitted by GOC in C Irish Command,G.H.Q., Parkgate, Dublin
1 July 1919 Posted 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment at Tipperary
7 Aug 1920 reported missing at Tipperary aged 261920 . Relatives were anxious to trace him
7 Dec 1921 British War Medal and Victory Medal issued
26 July 1923 British War Medal and Victory Medal returned
1925 Jul 25 Appears in an Irish court case. The balance of probablity is that this is him.
