Mr Tommy Atkinson
" Very sadly, part of the 223rd Company history in the person of Lieutenant Tommy Atkinson died suddenly on Saturday, 17th December in the Victoria Infirmary. Mr Atkinson was every Captains ideal minder and conscience. Every allotted task was carried out with 100% thoroughness. He was totally committed to his God and to all the Boys and Staff in the Company. Mr Atkinson never faltered in forty-one years of dedicated service to the Company and was the embodiment of the Boys' Brigade motto -
Sure and Stedfast"
The above quote was taken from Captain J. Baird's article in the January 2001 edition of the Bugle.
The following is a tribute to Mr Tommy Atkinson, from the same edition of bugle, written by Lt. Peter Turner.
Thomas Atkinson
I am sure most of you will have heard the sad news that Mr Thomas Atkinson died on Saturday, 17th December 2000. His funeral took place on Thursday, 21st December at the Linn Crematorium. It has been quite a while since so many Staff and ex-staff members of the 223 have been in the same place at the same time and I believe this is indicative of the place Tommy had in the working of the 223.
Tommy always had the well-being of the 223 at the front of his thoughts. On a Friday night he was always the first person down, working away at his records or just preparing himself for the night ahead. Although through the years the changes both in the B.B. as a whole and the 223 in particular were not always to his liking, after making his point, Tommy would accept the change and get on with the work - a treu B.B. Officer. he always enjoyed talking of what used to happen in past years and sometimes would even suggest that these were still good ideas. His unswerving loyalty was to the 223 Company and it's Captains, Staff and Boys. His enthusiasm for the movement and belief in its object never faltered through his long association with the 223. His determination that his work for the Company would be done to the best of his ability was his asset to the Company.
Tommy's work was mostly those 'behind the scenes' activities which, if not done well, give the rest of the staff major problems, eg. roll books, updated with sick marks, holidays and all other aspects involved in ensuring a true record is kept for the year; badge work kept both up to date and accurate; chasing of staff or reminding them that results were due, so both the Boys received the award in time and records were accurate - all done on the big board that I am sure a lot of us remember. His work with The Bugle as editor was another job that Tommy undertook with his usual eye for detail and correctness. He collated the articles, made sure they were in on time and attended to all the small details required to ensure the correct number were printed, folded and distributed.
Throughout his length of service to the B.B. and the 223, his meticulous work behind the front line was invaluable to all connected with the Company. With Alister and Peter also gone, the memories and small details of past history will now be lost to the 223 Company Section, as Tommy was the last of an era.
Lieutenant Peter Turner
If you wish to share you memories of Tommy please email them to me at the address give on these pages.