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.
Further Information
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 Bates served with 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards, 4th Guards Brigade, which made up part of the 2nd Division on the Western Front.
The battalion took part in the Battle of Festubert which began on the eve of 15th May 1915. On the morning of the 18th of May, the day dawned with driving rain and mist, so the attack was postponed until 4.30pm in the late afternoon because of the poor conditions. By the following morning the 1st Battalion Irish Guards had lost 22 men killed in action, 284 wounded and 86 missing. Oliver Bates was one of those killed in action.
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 commemorates those men from the United Kingdom who have no known grave and who fell in the Battles of La Bassee, Neuve-Chapelle, Aubers Ridge and Festubert up until 25th September 1915, (the eve of the Battle of Loos). The memorial is located near Bethune in France.
Private Oliver Bates is not listed on Willenhall WW1 War Memorial.
