Jul 16, 1893

Born at Wolford Township, Grenville County Ontario to George and Ada (nee Parks) Atkinson

Aug 4, 1914

TOS (Taken On Strength) the 56^th Grenville Regiment Canadian Militia

Feb 26, 1915

Attested into the 59^th Battalion at Iroquois Ontario 

Ø      Number 454660

Ø      Next of kin given as George Atkinson, father, of North Augusta Ontario

Ø      Previous occupation given as Stenographer

Ø      Previous military experience given as 2 years with the 56^th Regiment, 6 months with rank of Sergeant

Ø      Religion given as Presbyterian

May 23, 1915

Promoted to Provisional Orderly Room Clerk Sergeant

Aug 27, 1915

Reverted to the rank of Private and embarked the SS Scandinavian at Montreal Quebec as part of the 1^st Reinforcing Draft of the 59^th Battalion

Sep 5, 1915

Disembarked in England and proceeded to the West Sandling Camp.  On arrival there the entire draft was absorbed into the 39^th Reserve Battalion

Nov 19, 1915

Transferred to the Division of Records and posted to the Headquarters of the Sub Staff at Shorncliffe and employed as a Stenographer.

Nov 24, 1915

Promoted rank of Sergeant

Jan 23, 1916

Admitted to the Military Hospital at Shorncliffe with a diagnosis that reads Chancroid and Papilloma of glans (a sexually transmitted disease)

May 3, 1916

Discharged from hospital

May 5, 1916

Granted sick leave until May 15, 1916 

Forfeited 102 days pay and allowances for his time in hospital

Jul 10, 1916

Transferred back to the 39^th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling

Jul 21, 1916

Reverted to the rank of Private at his own request

Sep 10, 1916

Transferred to the 21^st Battalion

Sep 11, 1916

Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) at the Rouelles Camp, Havre France 

TOS the 21^st Battalion

Oct 1, 1916

Left the CBD for the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion

Oct 4, 1916

Joined the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion at Albert

Oct 5, 1916

Left the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion to join his Battalion

Oct 6, 1916

Joined the 21^st Battalion at Bouzencourt as they had just come out of the front line near Courcelette and was assigned to the Machine Gun Section

May 19, 1917

Appointed to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal without pay

Jul 27, 1917

Promoted to rank of Corporal to replace Cpl WH Redburn 59823 who had been wounded and invalided to England

Aug 16, 1917

During the heavy fighting at Hill 70 Cpl Atkinson received severe wounds to his face and right eye and was admitted to No 4 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance).  He was transferred almost immediately to No 6 Casualty Clearing Station where he received additional first aid.  For his bravery in this action, he was recommended for the Military Medal

Aug 17, 1917

Transferred to No 24 General Hospital at Etaples where surgery was performed to remove bullet and shrapnel fragments from his right eye and cheek.

Aug 23, 1917

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Princess Elizabeth

Admitted to the Northamptonshire War Hospital at Duston 

Posted to the EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) while in hospital

 Kingston Daily Standard, September 15, 1917
(there is no indication in the service file that he had been appointed as a L/Sgt)

Nov 2, 1917

Transferred to the Cottesbrooke Auxiliary Military Hospital, Cottesbrooke

Awarded the Military Medal per London Gazette #30364

Nov 30, 1917

Transferred back to the Northamptonshire War Hospital at Duston

Jan 12, 1918

Transferred to the Ontario Military Hospital, Orpington, Kent

Feb 2, 1918

Granted 10 days Sick Leave

Feb 9, 1918

Medical report at No 16, Canadian General Hospital, Orpington, states that he will not likely regain any vision in his right eye and vision in the left eye is impaired.  Glasses have been ordered, but not yet received

Mar 4, 1918

On Command to the 6^th Reserve Battalion at Seaford

Mar 7, 1918

Placed On Command to CDD (Canadian Discharge Depot) at Buxton pending return to Canada

Apr 8, 1918

Embarked for SS Mauritania at Liverpool

Apr 15, 1918

Disembarked at Halifax Nova Scotia and proceeded to Kingston Ontario

Apr 18, 1918

TOS Military District #3 at Kingston Ontario

Apr 22, 1918

Posted to the Casualty Company at Kingston

Aug 26, 1918

Medical report at Kingston notes that he can barely distinguish between light and dark with right eye and the left eye becomes blurred even with glasses when reading for more than 15 minutes.  He also is suffering from a sprained right foot from a fall in England due to his faulty vision. 

His weight is noted as being 115 lbs, even though at the time he was wounded his weight was 148 lbs.

Aug 30, 1918

Discharged from the CEF at Kingston Ontario 

Ø      Rank on discharge Corporal

Ø      War Service Badge Class “A” would have been issued but the number is not recorded in the file

Ø      Proposed residence on discharge RR #3 North Augusta, Ontario

Jan 24, 1919

On application for the War Service Gratuity, he gave his address as 487 Rideau St, Ottawa Ontario

May 12, 1921

Address changed to read Britannia Post Office (near Ottawa Ontario).  This is the address where the British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent. 

In 1933 he is reported in the Communiqué (the 21^st Battalion Association post war newsletter) as living at 36 Tilson Rd, Toronto, and employed at the Liquor Control Board Head Office

In 1946 he changed employment and began a career with the Postal Service in Ottawa, in the Operations Branch.  He retired from this position in 1958

Ottawa Citizen, June 27, 1958

Aug 10, 1974

He is recorded as having died on this date.  The location of his death and burial place is not recorded