Robert Atkinson was enumerated at the Holy Trinity Industrial School in 1911 when he was 14 years old. This record shows that he was born in Halifax, Yorkshire.
There are, unfortunately, dozens of R Atkinsons commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Until I can get definite proof, I present the following details as the man I believe to be commemorated on the HTIS memorial.
Robert Danson Atkinson was born on the 29th September 1896 in Todmorden, Yorkshire. His parents were Isaac Richard Atkinson (a stonemason) and Catherine Atkinson. He was baptised in Todmorden on 25th November 1896.
Newspaper reports from the Todmorden newspapers show that his parents marriage was not a happy one.
17th May 1895 "Charged with Assaulting his Wife"
31st May 1895 "Deserting a Wife"
15th November 1895 "An Ill Mated Couple"
8th May 1896 "Charged on a Warrant with Assaulting his Wife"
Isaac and Catherine separated and Catherine moved to Liverpool, the 1901 census shows that she was boarding at a house in Stanhope St and was using her maiden name Harris and claimed to be single. I have not yet located Robert in the 1901 census.
After the census, Catherine married in Liverpool to Charles Doyle.
Roberts father, Isaac, died in 1908.
The 1911 census shows that Robert Atkinson, aged 14, born Halifax Yorkshire, was an inmate of the Holy Trinity Industrial School in Liverpool. In the same census, his mother, stepfather and half-sister Lillian Doyle aged 8 were living in Edge Hill, Liverpool. His half-brother Charles Henry was born 1904 and died 1907.
Robert's service records have not survived but we know from other paperwork that he arrived in France on 12th August 1914 and served with the 1st Battalion The King's (Liverpool Regiment) and the 4th Battalion of the same regiment. This early embarkation date suggests he was either already serving in the Army or was a member of the Territorial Force or Army Reserve.
Robert Danson Atkinson was killed in action on the 18th August 1916 while fighting with the 4th Battalion The King's Liverpool Regiment.
The battalion diary for this date states:
18/08/1916
Fine. Heavier shelling enemy’s lines – men in front line
withdrawn to supports -Barrage on enemy’s lines 2.45pm B + D Coys (companies) went
over in 2 waves followed by C Coy in support and A Coy in reserve, Attack held
up by enemy in false line + machine gun fire.
20th R.Fus (Royal Fusiliers) came up between 6 +
8pm + took over front line + supports. Survivors of Battalion came in at dusk +
battalion was collected in trench behind supports.
Captains SIMMANCE + BECK, 2/Lts GAULTER, NICKALLS + REID
Killed – 2/Lts GOODMAN + GRAY missing. 2Lts VARNDELL + W.R.IRVING wounded. 48
men killed, 148 wounded, 22 missing. 2 men to hospital. 1 man to base under
age. 4 men struck off + taken on establishment of other units.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission records show that Robert was buried in a makeshift cemetery with an identifying cross, which means his body was recovered soon after the battle. After the war his body was exhumed and reburied with a CWGC headstone in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval along with 40 other identified soldiers of his battalion who died in the same battle.
Back in Liverpool, his family also commemorated Robert on a family headstone in Toxteth Park Cemetery. The inscription reads:
In loving memory of Charles Henry Doyle, who departed this life 26th June 1907 aged 3 years.
Also, Robert Danson Atkinson, beloved son of Catherine Doyle and stepbrother of the above. Who was killed in action 18th August 1916 aged 19 years 11 months.
Nobly he did his duty, bravely fought and fell, but the sorrows of those that mourn him, only aching hearts can tell.
It may be a soldier's honour for his country's cause to fall.
But we cannot think of the glory for the sorrow it has caused us all.
Robert was awarded the 1914 Star with clasp, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. The clasp on the 1914 star indicates that he entered a theatre of war before 22/11/1914.
There are some mistakes in the medal records for Robert as several have his rank as Sergeant and his date of death as 16/09/1914. His medal index card shows that his mother Catherine Doyle applied for his 1914 star, the address the medals were posted to was 108 Park Road, Liverpool. His mother also received a dependants pension for the loss of her son.