Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Alfred Atkins a Goods Foreman, born 1869 in Great Easton, Leicestershire and his wife Emma, born 1869 in Ewell, Surrey. Reginald Victor was a Dye Works Hand and was born in 1898 in Hinckley, Leicestershire, his siblings were Lily, born 1896 and Thomas Bertie, born 1901, both siblings were born in Hinckley, Leicestershire. In April 1911 the family home was at Vincent Terrace, Station Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire. The War Diary entry for the 26th September 1917 records. ELM TREE CORNER. 2.00am. Battalion HQ established forward for the attack at ELM TREE CORNER D.20A.05.60. 3.50am. Bombardment started. 5.50am. ZERO hour, the Battalion went over to capture all enemy positions on HILL 37 sheet 28.NE1, D.20A.45.80, A and B Companies in front line each two platoons in front line, 1 platoon in support, D Company in support. 2nd Lt. BOWIE killed, Captain O. H. FIELDEN wounded, 2nd Lt. F. D. FARLEY wounded. Platoons kept within 100 yards of barrage and in some cases closer, general tendency was to get too close to barrage. Hostile strong point caused little difficulty as leading waves were close under barrage. 6.50am. All objectives taken. Lt. Col. G. B. G. WOOD wounded, 2nd Lt. L. ROWBATHAN wounded. Bombardment of both sides continued during whole day. Battalion HQ established in Pill Box on HILL 37, D.20A.65.85. 4.00pm. Enemy counter attack beaten back, Captain W. H. OLIVER, Lt. C. H. L. WYNNE wounded. Lt. Col. G. GERMAN took command of the Battalion. Battalion HQ moved to Pill Box D.20A.7.8. Artillery very active on both sides during night of September 26th/27th.
The War Diary for the 27th September 1917 records. HILL 37. Artillery on both sides very active during the day, Battalion relieved part of 2nd/5th LINCOLNSHIRE REGT. and part of the 2nd/5th SHERWOOD FORESTERS in the front line.