Captain William Thais Atkins CD, ARCM* was born in London, England on 29 Jul 1907, the son of Wilhelm Gottlieb Thaiss and Alice Augusta Atkins. 

He was Director of Music (DoM) in the British Army from 1935-46 and DoM for the Queen’s Own from 1947-68. Serving for 21 years in the Queen’s Own band, he organized it into a first-class musical ensemble which performed often at the Royal Winter Fair and for hockey nights at Maple Leaf Gardens.

In 1935 he married Gertrude F. Grady in Singapore; they had one daughter.

From the Canadian Encyclopedia:

William (Thais) Atkins. Bandmaster, teacher, composer, b London 29 Jul 1907, d Toronto 7 Mar 1979; ARCM 1935.

William Atkins

William (Thais) Atkins. Bandmaster, teacher, composer, b London 29 Jul 1907, d Toronto 7 Mar 1979; ARCM 1935. After studies at the RMSM (Kneller Hall) and the RCM he was a bandmaster 1935-46 in the British army, then moved to Toronto where he was music director 1947-68 of the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, retiring with the rank of captain. He became music director for the city of Brampton, Ont, in 1947 and conducted the Brampton Citizens Band for over 30 years. During that time the band won 28 firsts in national and provincial competitions. Atkins was honoured by the city at the band’s 90th-anniversary concert in 1975.

He began teaching conducting, composition, and woodwinds for the Ontario Dept of Education in 1953 and was principal 1968-72 of the department’s summer school for teachers. He was president 1955-6 of the CBA and adjudicated bands at many Ontario festivals.

Atkins’ compositions include the official march of the (British) Royal Army Physical Training Corps, Keep Fit (Boosey & Hawkes), and various unpublished works. He also arranged Healey Willan’s Élégie Héroïque for band (Boosey & Hawkes 1971).

*ARCM: Associate of the Royal College of Music (ARCM) was a professional qualification, equivalent to a university first degree, that was awarded by the Royal College of Music. Like the Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM), it was offered in teaching or performing.