Name
George Bates
16 October 1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/08/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
55229
Welsh Regiment
16th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARTILLERY WOOD CEMETERY
III. F. 1.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor,
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley
Pre War
George Bates was born on 16 October 1883 in Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, the son of Frederick and Emily Bates, and one of nine children.
On the 1891 Census, the family were living in 55 St John's Road, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead next door to his grandparents, William and Elizabeth Bates and his uncles Harry and William. His father was working as a general labourer.
He attended Boxmoor school from 1888 until 31 July 1897 and immediately started work on a farm, but by the 1901 Census was working as a Sawyer, along with his brother Frederick, at Foster's Limited, the local steam and water saw mill. The family were then living at St John's Road, Boxmoor and his father was working as a builder's labourer.
He married Nellie Mallord (Orchard) in 1906 in Hemel Hempstead and they had four children, Lilian (1908), Dorothy (1910), Robert (1912) and Joyce (1916), however both Dorothy and Robert died in infancy.
On the 1911 Census he was living with his wife and daughter Lilian at 30 St John's Road, Boxmoor, the home of widower Robert Orchard who was Nellie's stepfather. Nellie's stepbrothers, Robert and Herbert were also living at the same address. George was working at the Paper Mills as a coal heaver and worked at John Dickinson & Co, Paper Manufacturer, Apsley Mills prior to enlistment.
Wartime Service
He was called up for the Army and enlisted in Bedford in December 1916 and initially served with the Bedfordshire Regiment (reg no. 32280), but was later transferred to the 16th Battalion, Welsh Regiment on 17 April 1917 at Boesinghe, north of Ypres.
The Third Battle of Ypres began on 31 July 1917 and George was killed in action on 3 August 1917 during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge. He is buried at Artillery Wood Cemetery, Belgium.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £1 10s 9d. She also received a pension of £1 2s 11d a week for herself and her two children, Lilian and Joyce.
Brother to Robert Bates who served with the Hertfordshire Regiment but became ill and died from pulmonary tuberculosis in 1916 and is buried at Heath Lane Cemetery, Hemel Hempstead. Brother in law to Herbert Orchard who served with the York and Lancaster Regiment and died in 1917. Both are named on the Hemel Hempstead Memorial.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelatwar.org., www.dacorumheritage.org.uk., www.hemelheroes.com.
