William Atkins (1885 - 1918)

Born Apr 1885 in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Nancy Jane (Godenzi) Sullivan — married 1913 (to 4 Jul 1918) in Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia

Died 4 Jul 1918 at age 33 in Hamel, Somme, Picardie, France

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Biography

William Atkins was born in New South Wales, Australia

William was born around April 1885 in the suburb of Paddington, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia^[1]. He was the son of George Atkins and Annie Leslie Kelly. His marriage to widow Nancy Jane "Jean" (Godenzi/Jacques) took place in 1913 at East Fremantle, south of the City of Perth, in Western Australia^[2]. The couple only had one son:--

1. Frederick "William" Atkins

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on the 30 May 1916 in the City of Perth, Western Australia. At the time, William was 31 years old, married and described as being 5 feet 7 inches with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He had no distinguishing marks and was employed as a Labourer, living in Victoria Park, Western Australia. Given the service number of 2530 and the rank of Private, he is attached to 73 Depot, 5th Reinforcements, 44th Infantry Battalion, A.I.F. on the 13 June 1916. William departs from the Port of Fremantle, south of the City of Perth, in Western Australia on the 9 November 1916 aboard the vessel "H.M.A.T. Argyllshire", disembarking in the Port of Devenport, Devon, England on the 10 January 1917^[3]. However, at the young age of 33, William is killed in action on the 4 July 1918 in France. His remains were buried at Plot 1, Row F, Grave 10 at the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Rte de Villers-Bretonneux, 2 kilometres north of the Village of Villers-Bretonneux, 16 kilometres east of Amiens, Somme département, Hauts-de-France région, in France^[4].

• 1918 'AUSTRALIANS IN ACTION', Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA : 1916 - 1938), Tuesday 30 July, p. 4.
• AUSTRALIANS IN ACTION. KILLED IN ACTION.....Wm. Atkins, Victoria Park, previously reported wounded....^[5].
• 1918 'Family Notices', The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Tuesday 30 July, p. 1.
• KILLED IN ACTION. ATKINS.—In loving memory of my dear husband, Private William Atkins, killed in action on July 4, 1918. Inserted by his sorrowing wife, Nancy Jean, and little son, Freddy, and step-children, Cyril, Lilly, and Frank^[6].

Sources

1. ↑ Birth record : NSW Government. Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. William ATKINS. Registration number 9154/1885. District Paddington. Father George, Mother Annie. Accessed 20 Aug 2022; Births search page
2. ↑ Marriage Records (Online Index Search Tool, Western Australian Government); Reference: (Marriage Year-1913); Registration Place: East Fremantle; Registration District: Fremantle; Registration Details: 2700141 / 1913
3. ↑ Name Search (National Archives of Australia (NAA)); Record Link: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3038856
4. ↑ War Dead (Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC); Record Link: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/575540/william-atkins/ Private William Atkins; Service number 2530, Australian Infantry A.I.F. 44th Bn, Date of death 4 Jul 1918, Age 33 years old. Buried Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery. Son of George and Annie Atkins; husband of Nancy Jane Atkins, of 33, Stake St., Victoria Park, Western Australia. Born at Sydney, New South Wales. Personal inscription : Peace Perfect Peace
5. ↑ TROVE Digitised Newspapers (The National Library of Australia, Canberra); Record Link: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article34187495
6. ↑ TROVE Digitised Newspapers (The National Library of Australia, Canberra); Record Link: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27485107