Name
Albert William Gates
26 Feb 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/10/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
534074
London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles)
2nd/15th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LA KREULE MILITARY CEMETERY, HAZEBROUCK
VII. A. 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR ONLY AND BELOVED SON THY WILL BE DONE
UK & Other Memorials
All Saints' Church Memorial, Hockerill, Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Liverpool Street Station, Great Eastern Railway Company War Memorial, Central London
Pre War
Albert William Gates was born on 26 Feb 1891 in Hockerill, Bishop's Stortford to Albert Coward Gates and Susan (nee Finch) and was baptised at Hockerill, Bishop's Stortford, Herts on 29 Jul 1891.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Susan F (born 1886), Alice Maud (born 1890), Albert anf Hilda F (born 1893) were living at Wilton Place, Dunmow Road, Hockerill and his father was a Railway Book Stall Clerk. They remained in the area and on the 1911 Census, they were living at 25 Dunmow Road. Albert was a railway goods clerk, Susan F was a schoolteacher, Alice was a wholesale grocer’s clerk and Hilda as a student teacher.
Wartime Service
Albert enlisted at Bishop's Stortford and served in the 15th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles). This was as a Territorial Soldier (Rifleman) and his Service Number was 7485 possibly issued in Oct 1916. He was later 543074 in the Territorial renumbering in 1917.
He went to France to serve with 2/15 Battalion in 60th Division (originally 2/2 London Division landed in France Jun 1916). It is possible that he may have been transferred to 1/15 Battalion and were involved in the fighting of the Final advance in Picardy with 47th (1st London)Division, Albert was wounded and died at 17th Casualty Clearing Station which was situated at Ana Jana Siding near Hazebrouck.
Additional Information
N.B. His record of Soldiers' Effects was incorrectly recorded as Galis and the Service no. as 534674, on some on-line resources, however in the appropriate ledger under this reference his father Albert received £27 11s 4d which included War Gratuity of £11.
His father, Mr A C Gates, 25 Dunmow Road, Bishop's Stortford, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR ONLY AND BELOVED SON THY WILL BE DONE".
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
