caption branch death_date death_place birth_place unit image_size awards honorific_suffix battles birth_date placeofburial rank image article_title name
atkinson as depicted on a cigarette card 23px british army 21 february 1900 paardeberg , transvaal leeds , west yorkshire the -rrb- princess of wales 's own -lrb- yorkshire regiment 175 victoria cross vc second boer war 6 february 1874 gruisbank british cemetery , paardeberg sergeant vcalfredatkinson.jpg alfred atkinson
 alfred atkinson
alfred atkinson

alfred atkinson vc -lrb- 6 february 1874 -- 21 february 1900 -rrb- 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 .
alfred was born in armley in leeds and was the son of james harland atkinson -lrb- born ~ 1830 at kirkby malzeard , yorkshire -rrb- and margaret mansfield -lrb- born ~ 1833 at leeds , yorkshire -rrb- who were married in leeds on 4 june 1855 .
james harland atkinson was a shoeing smith in the royal artillery .
he was 26 years old , and a sergeant in the 1st battalion , the princess of wales 's own -lrb- yorkshire regiment -rrb- , 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 : his victoria cross is displayed at the green howards museum , richmond , yorkshire , england .
