Name
Thomas Henry Gates
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/12/1917
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Stoker 1st Class
K/36916
Royal Navy
H.M.S "Surprise "
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
FLUSHING (VLISSINGEN) NORTHERN CEMETERY
II. 2. 5.
Netherlands
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, St Faith's Church War Memorial, Walsworth
Pre War
Thomas Henry Gates was born on 14 November 1888 in Bengeo, Hertford and christened there on 1 September 1889. His parents were William Thomas and Emily Elisabeth Gates.
In 1891 the family were living at Springfields, Bengeo. Present were both parents: William (35) and Emily (35), with William working as an agricultural labourer. Their children were: Alice M (10), James W (8) and Thomas Henry (2).
By 1901 the family were living at Cloptons Farm, Saffron Walden, Essex. Present were both parents, with William working as a shepherd. Of their children list above, Alice is absent. Thye had new siblings Sidney L (10), Daisy M (7) and Mary R (5).
By 1911 Thomas had left home and was boarding at the home of Walter Lines at 3 Bell Cottages, High Rd, Whetstone. Thomas was working as a milk carrier.
Thomas enlisted into the Royal Navy on 4 October 1916, he was 5’ 6” tall with brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He was working as a engineering labourer at that time and had been employed by Keatley & Gresham in Letchworth.
Wartime Service
He entered H.M.S. Pembroke II – a shore based training establishment as a Stoker second class to 15/1/1917, the Dido (Lance?) for one day transferring to the Dido Class destroyer Surprise on the 17th. He was promoted to Stoker first class on 17 August 1917 and served on that ship until his death
His last ship, the destroyer H.M.S. ‘Surprise’ had been built in 1916 and was of 910 tons. It was torpedoed by a German Submarine off the Maas Lightship. The ship's company was of about 100 men.
His father was notified of his death at his address: Near School House, Walsworth, Hitchin.
His body was found and is buried in Plot II, Row 2, Grave 5 in Flushing Vlissingen Northern Cemetery, Holland
Additional Information
His pension cards record William Thomas Gates, his father, as his dependant, living at 68 Woolgrave Road, Walsworth, Hitchin. He was awarded a pension of 6s 6d a week from 13 May 1919.
On the 23rd December 1917, the Royal Navy lost 3 destroyers with a loss of 252 seamen.
HMS Tornado, HMS Torrent and HMS Surprise, were all three lost to a minefield laid by the Germans one month before near the Maas light Vessel to protect the port of Rotterdam.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
