Born: 1884, Eccleshill
Died: 26 August 1918
Buried: Meaulte Military Cemetery
Address: 12 Bourne Street, Thackley
Parents: James Ralph Stanley & Eliza Dorothy, nee Haxby
Spouse: Gertrude, nee Smith
Siblings: Marguerite, Florence, Ralph
Occupation: Textile Manufacturer’s agent
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Sec Lieut
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Holy Trinity, Idle
Children: Two
Regiment: Royal Garrison Artillery
Harold Vivian Atchison
We first read about Harold’s war in the Shipley Times & Express of 7 July 1916:
Mr Harold Atchison of Thackley, who joined the Royal Garrison Artillery a couple of months ago, has given evidence that
he is a smart recruit and he has already been given special duties. He now occupies the rank of acting bombardier.
Before joining the forces this promising soldier was a platoon commander in the Bradford City Volunteers.
He is in trainings at Stallingboro’.
In 1917, Harold suffered two blows in a short space of time. On 6 July the paper reported the death of his mother due to
heart failure and less than a month later, on 3 August 1917, came the news that his brother Pte Ralph Atchison had been
killed in action.
“He was 25 years of age and was a very promising young man. His genial disposition made him exceedingly popular
amongst the people with whom he came into contact.”
On 31 August 1917, Harold was one of seven soldiers featured in an gallery of the serving family members of his father-in-law, W H Smith
On 30 August 1918, the Shipley
Times & Express published under
the headline JOY TO SORROW:
Mrs Atchison of Bourne Terrace,
Thackley, had two letters on
Wednesday morning from her
husband, Harold Atchison, an
artilleryman, stating that he was all
right though wounded.
In the afternoon she received a
telegram officially announcing his
death.
His mother died fourteen months
or so ago and a few weeks later his
only brother was killed in action.
That was followed up with another
story on 6 September:
It now transpires that death from
wounds of Sec-Lieut Harold
Atchison of Bourne Terrace,
Thackley, occurred on 26th August.
Aged 34, he leaves a wife (the
daughter of Mr W H Smith of
Eccleshill) and two children.
He was in partnership with Mr
Haxby in his father’s business as
stuff merchant in Drake Street,
Bradford and previous to joining
the colours he was a member of the
Bradford City Volunteer Force.
His younger brother, Ralph, was
killed in action just over a year
ago. He was connected with the
Idle Parish Church.
And a week later we read:
Capt A W Brown of West Lyn,
Thackley and Assistant Director of
National Service, Hull, writes:
“Lieutenant H V Atchison, RGA,
whose death in action is
announced, will be well
remembered by the two or three
thousand men who passed through
the Bradford Volunteer Force in the
early days of its formation.
“He was associated with me in the
secretariat and displayed a genius
for organisation such as I have
rarely met.
“He was strong in mind and body
and was never dismayed either by
the nature or size of a problem.
“He devoted his days and evenings
during the best part of a year to
building up the Volunteer
movement and also held rank as
platoon commander.
“Although he could have obtained
a commission in the army, he
joined up as a private in the RFA
and worked his way up by sheer
merit to commissioned rank.
“He was the soul of honour. He
died a gallant death while standing
directing the guns of his battery.
“His only brother was killed in
France a few months ago. His
many friends will deeply
sympathise with his wife and two
children.”
