Alfred Atkinson
6 February 1874 – 21 February 1900
Atkinson as depicted on a cigarette card
Place of birth	Leeds, West Yorkshire
Place of death	Paardeberg, Transvaal  †
Resting place	Gruisbank British Cemetery, Paardeberg
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	The Yorkshire Regiment (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own)
Battles/wars	Second Boer War
Awards	Victoria Cross

Alfred Atkinson VC (6 February 1874 – 21 February 1900) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 26 years old, and a sergeant in the 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own), British Army during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place on 18 February 1900 during the Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa for which he was awarded the VC:

No. 3264 Sergeant A. Atkinson, Yorkshire Regiment.

During the battle of Paardeburg, 18th February, 1900, Sergeant A. Atkinson, 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, went out seven-times, under heavy and close fire, to obtain water for the wounded. At the seventh attempt he was wounded in the head, and died a few days afterwards.^[1]

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Green Howards Museum, Richmond, Yorkshire, England.

[edit] References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)

[edit] External links

• Burial location of Alfred Atkinson "Transvaal, South Africa"
• Location of Alfred Atkinson's Victoria Cross "Green Howards Museum, Richmond"
• Alfred Atkinson at Find-A-Grave