Name
Benjamin Bates
21 Feb 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/10/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
15015
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY
Enclosure No.2 I. D. 15.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Norton
Pre War
Benjamin Bates was born in Edmonton, Middx., on 21 Feb 1896 (baptised 30 Apr 1907 at St Mary the Virgin, Edmonton) to Alfred George Bates, plasterer, and Sarah Florence (nee Chapman).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Gladys M (born 1894), Benjamin, and William Atwood (born 1874, boarder) were living at 12, Beaconsfield Road, Edmonton, London.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents, Benjamin (a bookbinder’s boy), Rose, George and Frederick (born 1907) were living at Norton End, Baldock, Herts.
His parents later lived at 45, Glebe Rd., Letchworth, Herts.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Benjamin who enlisted in Hitchin for the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 15015. Initially he was in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion for Training and on completion he became a member of 2nd Battalion and went to France on1 May 1915. The 2nd Battalion, as part of 21 Brigade 7 th Division, were at the Battle of Loos (25 Sep-5 Oct 1915) and transferred to 89 Brigade 30th Division before taking part in the Battles of the Somme (1916) at Albert (1-13 Jul) and Le Transloy ( 1-18 Oct). In 1917 the Battalion was involved in the Arras offensive at the Battles of 1st Scarpe (9-14 Apr). Benjamin was wounded during this Battle and was evacuated to UK being admitted to 5 Stationary General Hospital, Portsmouth on 17 Apr 1917. He recovered and went back to France joining !st Battalion in 15 Brigade 5th Division at the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) 1917 at the Battle of Polygon Wood (26 Sep-3 Sep) and Broodseinde (4 Oct). Benjamin wounded and died of his wounds on 4 Oct 1917.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £13 10s and arrears of £8 5s 4d was paid to his mother.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Jonty Wild
