BATES, Thomas Roy
| Service Number: | 1909 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 April 1916, West Maitland, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 36th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Muswellbrook, New South Wales, Australia, June 1886 |
| Home Town: | Muswellbrook, Muswellbrook, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Shearer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 20 January 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres Bonjean Military Cemetery Armentieres (plot iv, row D grave no. 46 Armenteres France Roll of Honour Australian War memorial 126, Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1909, 36th Infantry Battalion, West Maitland, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 1909, 36th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 1909, 36th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Sydney, Sydney | |
| 20 Jan 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1909, 36th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Thomas Roy Bates's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Wight
Thomas Roy Bates, 36th Australian Infantry Battalion, AIF wrote on 29th November 1916:
“We landed at Plymouth and had to journey by train to Wilton, which is about a five hours’ run on a pretty fast train. Some of the trains do go at a great speed. After we arrived at Wilton, to our surprise we had to march seven miles to this camp, Hurdcott. I was quite done in. I was very bad with my chest and throat the last week of my voyage. The next day I was compelled to see a doctor, who at once ordered me into the hospital, where I remained a little over a fortnight. When I came back to camp I found that all the others had been to London on four days leave. I also had four days leave in that great city, which I have heard so much of. But I can’t say I like London, although it was at its worst for it snowed two days out of the four, and it is worse than being in the bush at night. There is not a light to be seen. But I enjoyed myself very well in spite of all the snow and cold weather. Now that we have to leave on the 3rd December, I must make the best of my chance letter writing. It is no distance from here to the firing line. We could reach it in six hours by boat and trains, and I don’t mind telling you that we are all feeling fit to help to put an end to this argument they have – who will be the ruler? I guess not the Kaiser”
Private Thomas Bates was killed in action on 20 January 20, 1917 (after joining his unit at the front on 18 January 1917) and is buried at the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentiers.
Source: The Map of Australia: A First World War Chalk Badge at Compton Chamberlayne, Wiltshire
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