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Tommy Atkins

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For other uses of the name Tom, Tommy or Thomas Atkins, seeTommy Atkins (disambiguation).
Not to be confused withTommy Adkins.
"Tommies" from theRoyal Irish Riflesin theBattle of the Somme's trenches during theFirst World War.

Tommy Atkins(often justTommy) isslangfor a commonsoldierin theBritish Army.[1]It was well established during the nineteenth century, but is particularly associated with theFirst World War.[1]It can be used as a term of reference, or as a form of address.Germansoldiers would call out to "Tommy" acrossno man's landif they wished to speak to a British soldier.FrenchandCommonwealthtroops would also call British soldiers "Tommies". In more recent times, the term Tommy Atkins has been used less frequently, although the name "Tom" is occasionally still heard; private soldiers in the British Army'sParachute Regimentare still referred to as "Toms".

Etymology[edit]

A publicity photograph of "Tommy Atkins", a soldier of the51st Division,seated with a large doll in his arms, taken during theGerman offensivein Lys, 13 April 1918.

Tommy AtkinsorThomas Atkinshas been used as a generic name for a common British soldier for many years. The origin of the term is a subject of debate, but it is known to have been used as early as 1743. A letter sent fromJamaicaabout a mutiny amongst the troops says "except for those fromN. Americaye Marines and Tommy Atkins behaved splendidly ".[2][3]

A common belief is that the name was chosen byArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington,having been inspired by the bravery of a soldier at theBattle of Boxtelin 1794 during theFlanders Campaign.After a fierce engagement, the Duke, in command of the33rd Regiment of Foot,spotted the best man-at-arms in the regiment, Private Thomas Atkins, terribly wounded. The private said "It's all right, sir. It's all in a day's work" and died shortly after.[4]According to the Imperial War Museum, this theory has Wellington choosing the name in 1843.[3]

According to J. H. Leslie, writing inNotes and Queriesin 1912, "Tommy Atkins" was chosen as ageneric nameby theWar Officein 1815, in every sample infantry form in theSoldiers Account Book,signing with a mark. The Cavalry form had Trumpeter William Jones and Sergeant John Thomas, though they did not use a mark. Leslie observes the same name in the 1837King's Regulations,pages 204 and 210, and later editions. Leslie comments that this disproves the anecdote about the Duke of Wellington selecting the name in 1843.[5]

Richard Holmes,in the prologue to his 2005 book,Tommy,states that:

Atkins became a sergeant in the 1837 version, and was now able to sign his name rather than merely make his mark.[6]

TheOxford English Dictionarystates its origin as "arising out of the casual use of this name in the specimen forms given in the official regulations from 1815 onward"; the citation referencesCollection of Orders, Regulations, etc.,pp. 75–87, published by the War Office, 31 August 1815. The name is used for an exemplary cavalry and infantry soldier; other names used included William Jones and John Thomas. Thomas Atkins continued to be used in theSoldier's Account Bookuntil the early 20th century.[7]

A further suggestion was given in 1900 by an army chaplain named Reverend E. J. Hardy.[8]He wrote of an incident during theSepoy Rebellionin 1857. When most of the Europeans inLucknowwere fleeing to the British Residency for protection, a private of the32nd Regiment of Footremained on duty at an outpost. Despite the pleas of his comrades, he insisted that he must remain at his post. He was killed at his post, and the Reverend Hardy wrote that "His name happened to be Tommy Atkins and so, throughout the Mutiny Campaign, when a daring deed was done, the doer was said to be 'a regular Tommy Atkins'".[9]

Popular references[edit]

Front cover of sheet music, pub 1893, for song "Private Tommy Atkins" composed by Samuel Potter (1851–1934) and Henry Hamilton (c. 1854 – 1918). Signed by baritone C. Hayden Coffin.

Rudyard Kiplingpublished the poem "Tommy"(part of theBarrack-Room Ballads,which were dedicated "To T.A." ) in 1892. In reply,William McGonagallwrote "Lines in Praise of Tommy Atkins" in 1898, which was an attack on what McGonagall saw as the disparaging portrayal of Tommy in Kipling's poem.[4]

In 1893, for the musical playA Gaiety Girl,Henry Hamilton(lyrics) and Samuel Potter (music) wrote the songPrivate Tommy Atkinsfor the baritoneC. Hayden Coffin.It was immediately published by Willcocks & Co. Ltd. in London[10]and published by T. B. Harms & Co. in New York the next year.[11]The song was also reintroduced into later performances ofSan Toyfor Hayden Coffin. He recalled singing it onLadysmith Night(1 March 1900) where "the audience were roused to such a pitch of enthusiasm, that they rose to their feet, and commenced to shower money on to the stage".[12]

In the children's fantasy novelThe Indian in the Cupboard(1980) byLynne Reid Banks,toy soldiers representing various historical wars are brought to life by magic. One is a World War I medic who says his name is Tommy Atkins.Steve Cooganplays this character in the1995 film adaptation.

"Tommy cooker"was a nickname for a British soldier's portable stove.[13]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abWho is Tommy? Where does the term ‘Tommy’ come from?,rbli.co.uk,Retrieved 2024-01-25
  2. ^Laffin, John(2003).Tommy Atkins: The Story of the English Soldier,The History Press Ltd. p. vii.ISBN0-75-093480-8.Quoted fromSoldier Magazine,April 1949.
  3. ^abImperial War Museum."Why were English soldiers called 'Tommy Atkins' or 'Tommy'?".archive.iwm.org.uk.Retrieved4 April2013.
  4. ^abJohnson, Ben. "The British Tommy, Tommy Atkins", Historic UK
  5. ^J. H. Leslie (24 February 1912). "Thomas Atkins".Notes and Queries(113): 146.doi:10.1093/nq/s11-V.113.146a.
  6. ^Richard Holmes (2005).Tommy: The British Soldier on the Western Front 1914–1918.Harper Perennial. pp.xv.ISBN0-00-713752-4.
  7. ^Edward Fraser and John Gibbons (1925)Soldier and sailor words and phrases; including slang of the trenches and the air force; British and American war-words and service terms and expressions in every-day use; nicknames, sobriquets, and titles of regiments, with their origins; the battle-honours of the Great War awarded to the British ArmyRoutledge, London (p. 287)
  8. ^"Why Were British Soldiers Nicknamed 'Tommies' During the Great War?".3 February 2023.
  9. ^"Why Were British Soldiers Nicknamed 'Tommies' During the Great War?".3 February 2023.
  10. ^"New Military Song".Volunteer Service Gazette.4 November 1893. P. 11.Retrieved20 March2018– viaBritish Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^Digital Collections, The New York Public Library."(notated music) Private Tommy Atkins, (1894 - 1894)".The New York Public Library, Astor, Lennox, and Tilden Foundation.Retrieved8 April2018.
  12. ^"Mr Hayden-Coffin interviewed".The Bristol Magpie.8 March 1906. P. 6.Retrieved8 April2018– viaBritish Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^Weeks, Alan (2009),Tea, Rum and Fags: Sustaining Tommy 1914–18,The History Press (Chapter 6)

External links[edit]

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