Name
Abraham Atkins
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/08/1914
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7201
Lincolnshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial, St. Mary’s Church Memorial, Rickmansworth, Not on the Leavesden memorials
Pre War
Abraham was born in Leavesden in 1886 and in 1891 was living in Heronsgate with his parents Abraham, a Hay Binder, and Emily together with six siblings.
His mother died in 1894 age 40, and in 1899 his father remarried to Eliza Ann Gibson. By 1901 Abraham age 15 was employed, also as a Hay Binder, and living with his father, stepmother and two siblings in Rickmansworth High Street. Later, he became a Farm Labourer and in 1911 was still living with his father and step mother.
In 1914 Abraham married Alice M Smith and their daughter Maud A E was born in 1915. In 1919 Alice married Abraham’s brother Bert and they had two children William in 1920, and Violet in 1926.
Bert served in the war attesting 16th November 1915 having previously served for six years with the Bedfordshire Regiment. In 1939 Bert and Alice were living at 3 Basing Road, Rickmansworth with Amelia M E Walker age 24, a Shop Assistant (Confectionary) and their daughter Violet age 13 and still at school. Amelia Walker was Alice’s daughter from her marriage to Abraham.
Recorded as enlisting in London.
Wartime Service
Abraham’s Regiment, part of 3rd Division, landed Le Havre 14th of August 1914, entered Belgium on the 21st and reached the Mons-Conde Canal on the 22nd. The Battle of Mons began the next day, both sides suffering heavy losses before the British began their retreat on the 24th.
Abraham died in a Belgian hospital on the 25th of April from wounds sustained during this engagement.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Tanya Britton, Mike Collins
