Gates Henry James 1886

Henry James Gates
1886-1979

Father Nm: Edward Gates born  1 Aug 1862 • Lymington, Hampshire died  Jan 1954 Poole, Dorset

Mother Nm: Mary Ann Blencowe  [275] born1860 Mixbury, died 1890 Christchurch

Marriage Dt: 1916 Annadale N.S.W.

K comments: Brother William Blencowe Gates served with the Dorset Regiment in WW1

Spouse comments: May Benn born 1890 Waterloo, New South Wales, died 1972 Killarney Vale New South Wales   See May Benn Story by her grandson Paul Bryant

Children.
Mavis Lilian Rhoda GATES
1914–2000
Edward Henry James Gates
1916–1959
Marjorie Jean Gates
1919–2012
Dorothea Madeline Gates
1922–2006
John William GATES
1925–2011
Elizabeth (Betty) Elaine Gates

Born 1887

2 Sept 1886 247 Victoria Road, Pokesdown, Christchurch

1891 Census

Christchurch Hants.

Name Age
William A Elkins 21
Emily E Elkins 21
Polly E Elkins 1
Edward Gates 28 Widower
Rhoda Gates 6
James Gates 4
Edward Gates 2
Fanny Gates 16

1904=1911
  • 20 May 1904 Enlisted under age in the Royal Marines Light Infantry in fact it was 6 months before Henry was of age to serve. He was initially stationed and the recruitment Depot in Deal
  • 13 April 1905 was posted to the Plymouth Division

    Royal Marines Light Infantry c.1900 Early 20th century.  Not sure where this is, either Deal or Chatham. Probably around 1900.
  • 1905 Embarked on HMS Devonshire and was part of the Channel Fleet.
    This is photograph Q 21159 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 2107-01)

     

  • 1908 transferred to HMS Surly. HMS Surly spent her whole career in British waters, and was based at Portsmouth.
  • 1909 transferred to HMS Donegal . She joined the 4th Cruiser Squadron on North America and West Indies Station in 1909 before returning home for an assignment with the Training Squadron in 1912.
    THE ROYAL NAVY IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR (Q 75308) Armoured cruiser HMS Donegal Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205320095

     

  • 1910 Transferred to HMS Kent in the China Station.
    A port broadside view of British Monmouth class armoured cruiser HMS KENT
    Symonds & Co – This is photograph Q 21415 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 2107-01)

     

  • 11 April 1911. Henry completed his service and was awarded two good conduct badges while in Service.

Note: Sometime after this Census Henry emigrates to Australia and the next time we record him he is marrying May Brett in NSW in 1916

WW1

Royal Marines

Australian Imperial Force

20th Battalion Patch

19th Infantry Battalion

Henry James Gates, Private, 12856 Royal Marines Light Infantry , Actng. Sergeant, Private, Corporal,  N3303, N108467, 1st Bn, 20th Bn.,5th Brigade, 2nd Division AIF, attached 19th Infantry Battalion.

1916
  • 29 May. Attested age 49 yrs with the Australian Army. A Locomotive Driver who is married and living with spouse May Brett (Gates) at 103 Booth St Annadale NSW. Initially appointed (based on previous military experience) Acting Sergeant of B Coy 1st Battalion and posted to Coolamundra.
  • 25 October. Reverts from Acting Sergeant to Private 20th Battalion AIF. Embarks on Ascanius from Sydney arrives at Devonport, England on 28 December 1916.

    HMAT Ascanius troopship that carried Henry to England
1917

25 February. Embarks for France from Folkestone  to join 20th Battalion AIF of the 5th Brigade of the Australian 2nd Division. The 20th Infantry Battalion had served in Gallipoli and in 1916 went to Pozieres fought there and then onto Belgium. Henry joined the Battalion in the Somme when it is in the front line near Bapaume

Indicated on the map is the area to which Henry went in the Spring of 1917
  • March at Bapaume, during the German retreat the 2nd Divison captured Bapaume.
  • March- April. “In March 1917 a flying column of the Second Division pursued the Germans to the Hindenburg Line. At Lagnicourt on 15 April 1917, it struck by a powerful German counterattack, which it repelled.” 4
  • “The 19th Australian Battalion at Noreuil and the ridge was just in time to defeat an attack from Lagnicourt and another up the valley of the Hirondelle Stream.”

    Relief map showing Hindenburg Line (Siegfriedstellung) and Wotan Line (Wotanstellung) defences around Bullecourt and Quéant, 1917}}
  • On 3 May 1917 the Division assaulted the Hindenburg Line in the Second Battle of Bullecourt, holding the breach thus gained against furious counterattacks.” 4 ….the (2nd) Division assaulted the Hindenburg Line in the Second Battle of Bullecourt, holding the breach thus gained against furious counterattacks.” 4
  • 21 May. Henry is attached to the 19th Infantry Battalion also of the 5th brigade and he stays it appears with the 19th Bn until April 1918.
  • 12 September. The 19th Bn marched from Arques in France to Steenvoorde on the Belgian border to take part in the Third Battle for Ypres.
  • 13th September. The 19th Bn. marched to Dickiebusch in Belgium

    Dickebusch (now Dikkebus) was a village in the Ypres Salient behind the front lines. It had one of the largest concentrations of troops in the years 1915-1917.
  • 17th September The 19th Bn advance to the Bellewarde Ridge
  • 20th September. Westhoek and attack takes place and on the 22nd the 19th bn are relieved to Dickibusch. 19th Bn. Casualties for this action included 31 men killed
  • October. The 19th Battalion took part in unsuccesful battle of Poelcappelle casualties here were 25 men killed. The 19th continued to hold a line at Broodseinde Ridge. The total casualties for the month were 49 losses.
  • 4 December. Promoted to Lance Corporal.
1918
  • 1 January. Promoted to Corporal
  • March. Henry is given leave to London he goes AWOl and is reprimanded losing his rank. On his return, he rejoins the 20th Bn. in the Somme.
  • 16 May. Wounded GSW back and chest. 12 kms north east of Amiens. War diary describes enemy artillery active and one officer and 5 other ranks evacuated to hospital. Henrys wounds severe and penetrating is used to describe them.

    Trench Map showing the 20th Bn location in red circle when Henry hit by shell
  • 23 May. Taken to No 61 Casualty Clearing Station at Vignacourt.
  • 23 May. Assessed and taken north to the coast and Admitted to No 22 General Hospital at Camiers.
    Camiers 22 Gen Hospital

     

  • 25 May. Evacuated to England on the Hospital Ship Brighton.
    SS Brighton in Hospital Ship markings

     

  • 25 May. Admitted to Royal Herbert Hospital Royal Woolwich and Canadian Military Hospital.
    L0050103 Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich
    Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images
    images@wellcome.ac.uk
    http://wellcomeimages.org
    Postcard of the Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich. Picture of the exterior of the building.
    circa 1908 Royal Army Medical Corps Muniment Collection: Papers and souvenirs of Major General Sir Maurice Holt, RAMC
    Published: –
    Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

     

  • 9 July. Transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.
    Photo 1917 3rd Australian Aux Hospital

     

  • 31 July. Invalided to Australia and discharged honourably on 29 August.
Medals
Awarded the British War medal the Victory Medal and the Silver War Medal along with his honourable discharge
Sources
    1. Ancestry  and BFA database
    2. Australian Service Records
    3. War Diary of 20th Infantry Battalion
    4. Brief History 2nd Division
After the War
1931 Electoral Role

Henry Gates Occupation Watchman with May Gates .

57 Holden Street,  Ashfield West, Parkes, New South Wales, Australia

Death 1979

Henry James Gates Death Date1979 Ashton Avenue

Obituary Date 1 Sep 1979

Obituary Place Sydney, New South Wales,

Spouse May Gates

Children Norman; Edna; Boyd; Tony; Harry; Maiorie; Dorothea; Betty Siblings Mervyn