THE St Tudy Historical Society gathered at the War Memorial in St Tudy on Monday, January 20, to remember the last man of St Tudy who died as a result of the First World War, 1914-1918. This was the last in a series of Centennial Commemorations of Remembrance for those brave men of St Tudy who gave their lives in the Great War. 

Surgeon Lieutenant Charles Henry Fairbank Atkinson RNVR OBE was the doctor for St Tudy. He had joined the Navy Volunteer Reserve in 1912 and was appointed Surgeon Lieutenant on HMS CANOPUS. His first engagement was in the Battle of the Falkland Islands, a British victory over the Imperial German Navy on December 8, 1914. He was then appointed to the hospital at Port Stanley to care for the British and German wounded of the battle. He was mentioned in despatches for his work on Port Stanley before being appointed to Trevol Fever Hospital, Torpoint in September 1915. In early 1916 he joined the Destroyer HMS Tipperary which was sunk at the Battle of Jutland on June 1, 1916. Having survived the sinking, he joined HMS Princess Margaret, a mine-layer operating in the North Sea. In 1919 he was awarded an OBE for his war service. 

Dr Atkinson’s name did not originally appear on the war memorial, perhaps because he died after the war just as it was being erected. However, research by the historical society, initiated by the late Chris Selby, founder of the St Tudy Historical Society, in conjunction with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and other archives indicated that he was entitled to be recognised as a casualty of war. 

A World War One themed garden party was held in early 2018 to raise funds to add his name to the St Tudy War Memorial and this was achieved in time for the Armistice Centenary Commemorations on November 18, 2019. 

On Monday, January 20, the sun shone brightly on a cold crisp morning and attendance by the historical society and villagers of St Tudy was high. Although Dr Atkinson no longer has any direct descendants his grandniece, Mrs Patsy Carter, travelled from the Isle of Wight to attend the 100th commemoration of his passing and messages from his wider family were read out. A bugler played the Last Post and a minute’s silence was observed.