Son of Mrs Annie Atkinson of 5 Hill Fall, Ulverston, Lancs.

Tyne Cot is the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the world and is the resting place of more than 11900 servicemen from the First World War. A memorial to the fallen with no known grave is also located at this cemetery, this memorial commemorates a further 35000 British and New Zealand soldiers. Tyne Cot is in Belgium on what was the Western Front; it was the scene of the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendale.

Cross laid for John Atkinson at Tyne Cot Memorial on 6 August 2018