Lt Thomas Atkins

  General Notes:

Thomas ATKINS joined the British Army as an ensign in October 1804 when he was 19 years old. The next year he sailed to Hanover with Lotd Chathcarts' 45th Regiment, where he was promoted to lieutenant in the 36th Regiment for bravery. He servedunder general Whitlock in South America and with the Duke of Wellington in Portugal during the Peninsula Wars, and was wounded at the battle of Vimaria. During the retreat of Corruna (he was an adjutant at the time) he received a sabre wound to the head and a musket ball wound to the knee. He was highly recommended for gallantry displayed in saving the Regimental Colours. He received a 2nd musket ball injury to the leg at Hushing during the storming of the Citadel. In 1811 he was incharge of a detachment of the 73rd Regiment of Foot when they sailed on board the "Guildford" for Australia, arriving at Port Jackson on January 25th 1812. He married Bertha Sarah LUTTRELL at St John's church Parramatta on March 20 1813. Within 10 months he'd sailed with his regiment, under the command of Major George Alexander GORDON, for Ceylon on board the "Earl Spencer". He was cashiered out of the army in 1815 for being drunk on duty. His 2nd son Ringrose Austin ATKINS was agaoler and superintendent at the Gaol and House of Corrections at Hobart during the 1870's. .

Thomas married Bertha Sarah Luttrell, daughter of Edward Luttrell and Martha Walter, on 20 Mar 1813 in St John's Church, Parramatta. (Bertha Sarah Luttrell was born in 1794 in Tonbridge, Kent, UK, christened on 15 Dec 1794 in Tonbridge, Kent, UK and died on 17 Aug 1872 in Cascades, Tasmania.)