Oliver Bates was born in Willenhall, Warwick, England. The 1911 census does not show any Oliver Bates in Ireland at that time. Oliver Bates enlisted in Cookstown. Private Oliver Bates was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards when he was killed in action at the Battle of Festubert on Tuesday 18th May 1915. Private Oliver Bates has no known grave and is commemorated on panel 4 at Le Touret Memorial in France.
Le Touret Memorial is located at the east end of Le Touret Military Cemetery, on the south side of the Bethune-Armentieres main road. From Bethune follow the signs for Armentieres until you are on the D171. Continue on this road through Essars and Le Touret village. Approximately 1 kilometre after Le Touret village and about 5 kilometres before you reach the intersection with the D947, Estaires to La Bassee road, the Cemetery lies on the right hand side of the road. The Memorial takes the form of a loggia surrounding an open rectangular court. The court is enclosed by three solid walls and on the eastern side by a colonnade. East of the colonnade is a wall and the colonnade and wall are prolonged northwards (to the road) and southwards, forming a long gallery. Small pavilions mark the ends of the gallery and the western corners of the court.
