Part 13

=BATES, WILLIAM GEORGE HENRY=, Capt., 1st Battn. (Prince of Wales’s) Leinster Regt., 2nd _s._ of the Rev. William Wheatley Bates, M.A., of Toronto, by his wife, Emily, dau. of Manasseh (and Emma) Leeson, extensive landowner of Canada; _b._ Thornhill, Toronto, 12 Oct. 1878; educ. privately, and Trinity College, Toronto. He enlisted in the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1901, hoping to see active service in South Africa, but the regt. was ordered to Crete and kept there until the conclusion of the campaign. After serving over two years in the ranks, he was given a commission, 7 Nov. 1903, in the Leinster Regt., and promoted Lieut. 15 Dec. 1906, and Capt. 21 Sept. 1912. He saw much foreign service, serving in Crete, Malta, Gibraltar, South Africa, Mauritius and India. In South Africa he was Instructor in the School of Musketry, and invented an automatic elevating and traversing machine gun gear, which is now (1916) being tested in the Hythe School of Musketry. On the outbreak of war Capt. Bates was in India, and arrived with his regt. in Flanders 21 Dec. 1914, holding the double command of Company and Brigade Machine Gun Officer. He went through all the heavy fighting for Ypres, and served continuously until he was killed in action, shot through the head near Ypres, 26 April, 1915. His commanding officer wrote: “Your husband was one of the bravest and most gallant men I know, and his death leaves a gap which cannot be filled. I can only add that he died like the gallant man he was.” A brother officer also wrote: “The regt. can say of him that he never asked a man to do a thing he would not do himself. He simply did not know fear, and would always tell us that dying was part of the game. It isn’t only we officers who admired him, but every man who knew him would have followed him anywhere--everywhere he he led.” He _m._ at St. Margaret’s Church, Warnham, co. Essex, 10 Aug. 1912, Mabel (Dent, Warnham, Sussex), yst. dau. of Hastings Castor Draper, and left a son and a dau.: Lionel William Leeson, _b._ 25 May, 1913, and Pamela Dorcas, _b._ 2 June, 1914.

=BATEY, EDWARD HENRY=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7358), S.S. 102501, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BATEY, ROBERT=, Private., No. 1852, 1/7th (Leith Territorial) Battn. Royal Scots, yr. _s._ of Edward Batey, of 22, Ryehill Gardens, Leith, Linotype Operator, by his wife, Christina Allen, dau. of Thomas Morrison; _b._ Walworth, S.E., 7 Jan. 1897; educ. at Parson’s Green School, Edinburgh, and Broughton Higher Grade School, Edinburgh; enlisted on the outbreak of war, 31 Aug. 1914, and was killed in the railway accident near Gretna on 22 May, 1915; _unm._ He was buried in Rosebank Cemetery, Edinburgh.

=BATSON, ALFRED WILLIAM=, Lieut. 2nd Battn. Duke of Cornwall’s L.I., only _s._ of William Lascelles Batson, of Dorking, Surrey, by his wife, Barbara Edwina, dau. of Edward Hugh Blakeney, M.D.; _b._ Dorking 25 Feb. 1887; educ. Fonthill, East Grinstead, Wellington College, and Sandhurst; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the Duke of Cornwall’s L.I., 9 Oct. 1907, and Lieut. 17 March, 1910. He served in Bermuda, South Africa (where he was attached to the Mounted Infantry), and Hong Kong. Soon after the outbreak of war his regt. was ordered home, and on the 19 Dec. 1914, was sent to France. Lieut. Batson was in charge of the machine-gun section, and on 24 Feb. 1915, he was commended by the Major-Gen. Commanding the 27th Division for distinguished service in the field. He was killed in action on the mount at St. Eloi, near Ypres, 14 March, 1915; _unm._ At Wellington College Lieut. Batson was in the Cricket Eleven and won Prince Christian’s prize for the best bowling average for that year, and also in Rugby football Fifteen won both prizes for the best kick of the season. While in South Africa he was a very keen Polo player.

=BATT, JOHN ALBERT=, _alias_ =FRANK=, Private, No. 477, 10th Battn. Australian Imperial Force, _s._ of John Albert Batt, Lighterman; _b._ London, 10 July, 1874; enlisted in S. Australia under the name of “Frank” Batt, 14 Aug. 1914; killed at the Dardanelles, 25 April, 1915. He _m._ at Bermondsey, London, 25 Dec. 1896, Jessie Mary (9, Woolfe Street, Dockhead, Bermondsey), dau. of William Brockwell, and had five children: John Albert (Private, 3596, 22nd Queen’s), _b._ 10 Oct. 1897; William, _b._ 28 July, 1900; Henry, _b._ 9 Feb. 1903; Christopher, _b._ 26 July, 1905; and Arthur, _b._ 14 Sept. 1907.

=BATT, NORMAN HAROLD=, Private, No. 10140, 2nd Battn. Sussex Regt., _s._ of William Batt, of 33, Alma Villas, St. Leonards; served with the Expeditionary Force; killed in action at Richebourg L’Avoué, 9 May, 1915.

=BATTARBEE, HERBERT=, Signaller, No. 1578, 4th Battn. East Yorkshire Regt. (T.F.), 3rd _s._ of Frederick Battarbee, of 60, Tadman Street, Hull, by his wife, Clara, dau. of John Wrigglesworth; _b._ Hull, 11 Feb. 1895; educ. St. Luke’s Street Church School there; joined the 4th East Yorks in March, 1912, and was killed in action in France, 24 April, 1915; _unm._

=BATTEN, ARTHUR=, Private, No. 8162, 4th Battn. Middlesex Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action 12 Oct. 1914; _m._

=BATTEN, JOHN HENRY STRODE=, Capt., 1st Battn. The King’s Liverpool Regt., elder _s._ of the late Col. John Mount Batten, of Upcerne, co. Dorset, and Mornington Lodge, West Kensington, C.B., J.P., Lord-Lieutenant co. Dorset (_d._ 1916), by his 1st wife, Margaret Annie (_d._ 1893), dau. of the Rev. John Brooks, Rector of Walton-le-Dale, co. Lancaster; _b._ Aldon, near Yeovil, co. Somerset, 23 Dec. 1875; educ. at Rossall and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and after taking his B.A. degree, was gazetted to his father’s old corps, the King’s Liverpool Regt., 20 May, 1899, and promoted Lieut. 21 March, 1900, and Capt. 1 Dec. 1909. He served through the South African War, 1899–1902, being employed with the Mounted Infantry, and later was Supply Officer; took part in operations in Natal, 1899, including actions at Reitfontein and Lombard’s Kop; defence of Ladysmith, including action of 6 Jan. 1900; operations in Natal, March to June, 1900; operations in the Transvaal, Dec. 1900, to Oct. 1901; and in those of the Orange Free State, Oct. 1901, to 31 May, 1902, and received the Queen’s medal with two clasps and the King’s medal with two clasps. After the outbreak of the European War in Aug. 1914, he went to France with the first Expeditionary Force, and consistently did good work, his name being mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 8 Oct. [London Gazette, 19 Oct.] 1914. “On a particular occasion,” 20 Sept., during the Battle of the Aisne, his Brigadier said, “quite regardless of himself, he encouraged and steadied the men on the right of his battn., and of the brigade when very heavily attacked, and when the situation at that point was critical. It was owing to his very gallant conduct on that occasion that the portion of the line held its own.” He was killed in action, 25 Oct. 1914, being shot through the heart while on his way from the trench to confer with his Commanding Officer. Gen. R. H. Davies wrote: “I should like you to know that he was looked upon by all who knew him as one of the very bravest of the brave, and that by his exceedingly gallant and cool conduct at the Battle of the Aisne he did a great deal to stop a rush and prevent what might easily have proved to be a disaster to our part of the line.” And Col. Stevenson: “He saved the whole line on 20 Sept. just by his grit. Nothing would move him from the line he had to take up in that awful wood fight when Kyrke Smith and others were wounded.... He was killed outright crossing a small gap in a hedge by some men hidden in a house about 500 yards away.... We buried him that night beside the Colonel in an orchard close to a farm outside the village where he was shot.” “I owe him a debt I can never repay,” wrote Lieut. P. C. Snatt, “if it had not been for his gallant work on 20 Sept. I should now be a prisoner, I was wounded and unable to get away, and it was Strode who saved the line retiring.” Capt. Batten _m._ Alberta, yr. dau. of P. Kavanagh, of 56, Queen’s Gardens, Lancaster Gate, M.D.; _s.p._

=BATTEN, JOSEPH=, Private, No. 8323, 1st Battn. East Surrey Regt., _s._ of Richard Batten, of 120, Nelson Road, Hornsey, served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc; killed in action 24 May, 1915.

=BATTEN, WILLIAM HENRY=, L.-Corpl., No. G. 321. 11th (Service) Battn., Middlesex Regt.; _b._ Hillingdon Heath, co. Middlesex, 22 Jan. 1888; volunteered and enlisted 11 Aug. 1914; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc., from May; _d._ 15 June, 1915, of wounds received in action; _m._

=BATTENBERG, HIS HIGHNESS PRINCE MAURICE VICTOR DONALD OF, K.C.V.O.=, Lieut. 1st Battn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps; yst. _s._ of H.R.H. Prince Henry of Battenberg, K.G., P.C. (who died on active service at sea, 20 Jan. 1896, of fever contracted during the Ashanti War), and of H.R.H. the Princess Beatrice (Princess Henry of Battenberg), yst. dau. of Her late Majesty, Queen Victoria; _b._ at Balmoral Castle, 3 Oct. 1891, and was educ. at Wellington, where he was a Lance-Corpl. in the O.T.C., and became one of the best marksmen at the College. He went to the National Rifle Association meeting at Bisley with the Wellington Shooting Eight which competed for the Ashburton Shield and other events. After leaving Wellington he went to Sandhurst, from which he was gazetted to a second lieutenancy in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 4 March, 1911. He was attached to the 1st Battn., then stationed at Gosport, as part of Brig.-Gen. H. H. Burney’s 9th Infantry Brigade. Prince Maurice came under the tuition of Lieut.-Col. R. S. Oxley and Capt. R. H. Seymour, and in due course was posted for duty to the 1st Battn. He served with this unit at Aldershot on transfer there into Gen. Davies’ 6th Infantry Brigade, and served under Lieut-Col. E. Northey in Salamanca Barracks, at the town end of the camp, and was senior 2nd Lieut. while there. He had been made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, 19 June, 1911, and was promoted Lieut., 13 Feb. 1914. On the declaration of war he mobilised with his battn. at the town barracks in Aldershot and proceeded to France on 12 Aug. He proved himself possessed of sound soldierly qualities and was mentioned twice in Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatches [London Gazette, 19 Oct. 1914, and 17 Feb. 1915] for gallantry in the field. At the crossing of the Aisne he was first over the bridge by which his battn. had to pass under heavy fire, and when Major Armytage led the line forward in a splendid charge he was in the thick of the fray. His name and that of Major Armytage were on every man’s lips in the battn. The following account of the action was given by Corpl. J. Jolley:--“Instead of retiring as we had been doing, on 5 Sept, we advanced five miles to Firoy. There was very fierce fighting, the German infantry advancing to within 800 yards of our artillery, and also in good rifle range. They were practically slaughtered, and hundreds of dead lay everywhere. Early in the morning of the 6th we were up and on the scent, the Guards being the advance guard for a change. Towards the afternoon they got in touch with the German rearguard at a place called by us and the Germans “The Valley of Death.” All the artillery possible was brought on to a ridge overlooking this valley, and played on the enemy, who could not get out of it in a hurry, and consequently got many casualties, the Guards capturing eighty men and five maxims, and losing only twelve men. We kept on going until we reached the heights overlooking Charly-sur-Marne. Here we took up our post about two miles from the enemy without knowing it. On the morning of the 7th the King’s Royal Rifles were the advance guard. We traversed a wood, and found that the enemy had camped on the other side. We could see the Germans making blockages on the bridge, preparing to blow it up, but on seeing us they made off, and as we had no artillery with us they got off free. The order then came that the bridge must be taken at once. When we got there we found that the bridge had three blockages, comprised of carts, furniture, glass, wire, etc. Prince Maurice of Battenberg was first man over, searching the house beyond all by himself. This was a brave act for an officer alone. The blockage was removed, and the battn. got across without a shot being fired. We went through Charly-sur-Marne, and halted about one mile on the other side for four hours, as the French were busy in action, and in the end they repulsed the Germans.” On 27 Oct. 1914, he was ordered to storm a German position and capture some guns which were doing a lot of damage. On the advance they came to a wood which was too thick for them to get through conveniently, and they had to cross an open field. Prince Maurice was leading his men across this open space when a shell fell and burst right by him. He knew that his injuries were mortal, and wished the men good-bye. He was carried to a field dressing-room, where he died. He was buried at Ypres on 30 Oct. about 3.30 p.m. “and not far away the German big guns were firing on our trenches, and our men were doing their best to put them out of action. The guns were making such a noise that you could not hear the Chaplain’s voice. It was a soldier’s funeral amidst the noise of battle,” wrote Capt. W. H. Dyer. The following eulogies were passed upon the Prince:--Sir John French: “The Army has lost a gallant officer, who was a fine example to all around him.” General Munro, Commanding the 2nd Division: “His Highness had throughout the campaign displayed a rare example of courage and fortitude to the men of his battn.,” and Sir Douglas Haig: “The Army loses a most gallant and valuable officer.” Prince Maurice supported the work of the Army Rifle Association and was also keen on polo, being in the Hurlingham handicap list. He did not play much, but he liked the game and was also fond of football, tennis, and motoring. He was also greatly interested in aviation, and made many flights as a passenger at Hendon. Prince Maurice was made a Freemason in the Heroum Filii Lodge, No. 3,404 (the Lodge of the Old Wellingtonians) on 21 June, 1912, and was installed Master of the Twelve Brothers Lodge, No. 785 Southampton, 22 April, 1914. His two brothers are (1916) on active service--Prince Alexander Albert with the Grenadier Guards and Prince Leopold with the 60th Rifles.

=BATTERHAM, JAMES=, A.B. (R.F.R., B 6505), 204862, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BATTERSBY, AUGUSTUS WOLFE=, Lieut., 4th Battn. Connaught Rangers, 2nd _s._ of the late John Radcliff Battersby, of Loughbawn, Collinstown, co. Meath, J.P., Barrister-at-Law, by his wife, Augusta Helen, dau. of John Rynd, of Reynella, co. Westmeath; _b._ Loughbawn, 10 Feb. 1885; educ. Corring School, Kingstown, and Trinity College, Dublin (B.A.). He entered the Church 20 Feb. 1910, and was curate of Antrim Parish, co. Down, until he was gazetted to the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battn. of the Connaught Rangers, 14 April, 1914. He joined at Aldershot, 30 April, was promoted Lieut. 5 Dec. following, and was attached for service to the 2nd Battn. of the Nigerian Regt. He sailed for the Cameroons on the 17th of the same month; took part in operations at Wum Bidgas where he was slightly wounded, and died of dysentery at Duala, 8 June, 1915, and was buried in the cemetery there; _unm._

=BATTERSBY, CHARLES FREMOULT PRESTON=, Capt., 113th Battery Royal Field Artillery, only _s._ of Major-Gen. Thomas Preston Battersby of Imber House, East Molesey, Principal Ordnance Officer, by his wife, Agnes Janet, dau. of the late John Evens; _b._ Castle Barracks, Enniskillen, 11 July, 1887; educ. King’s School, Canterbury, and Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 23 July, 1907, and became Lieut. 23 July, 1910, and Capt. 30 Oct. 1914. He was present at the retreat from Mons, the Battle of the Marne and in action for a long time on the Aisne. He was killed during the first bombardment of Ypres, 4 Nov. 1914, while a farm, in which he was billetted was being heavily shelled, he returned from his safety pit to release a horse which was tied up in the yard belonging to the farm, and he was killed by one of the shells while so doing. He was buried the following day in the cemetery at Ypres.

=BATTY, CHRISTOPHER=, Leading Stoker, K. 3346, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BATTY, WILLIAM HENRY=, Corpl., No. 7780, 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, _s._ of William Batty, of Sheffield, late Scots Greys, by his wife, Helen; _b._ Sheffield, 13 Jan. 1889; educ. National School there; enlisted 1 April, 1908, served three years with the colours and then passed into the reserve, and joined the Sheffield Police. On the declaration of war, 5 Aug. 1914, he was called up, went to France, 8 Aug. 1914, and served through all the various engagements up to the 26th Dec. 1914, when he was severely wounded in action at La Bassee, while assisting a wounded comrade. He died in hospital at Boulogne, 19 Jan. 1915, and was buried in the cemetery there. He _m._ at Wadsley Bridge Church, 30 Jan. 1913, Lillian Moore (35 Fielding Road, Wadsley Bridge, Sheffield), dau. of John Parkin, of Sheffield, Accountant, _s.p._

=BATY, ROBERT=, Private, No. 13061, 5th Battn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, 3rd and yst. _s._ of William Baty, of Saskatoon, Canada, Accountant and Auditor, by his wife, Sarah, dau. of William Giles, Newcastle-on-Tyne; _b._ Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 27 July, 1890; educ. Winnipeg, Canada; was a Manufacturing Jeweller; joined the 29th Saskatchewan Light Horse in 1907, and became Regt. Sergt.-Major in 1912. When war was declared in Aug. 1914, he was the first man in Saskatoon to volunteer for service overseas; came over with the 1st Contingent in Oct., went to France, Feb. 1915, and was killed in action at Festubert, 24 May, 1915, during the taking of a fortified redoubt described as “K. 5”; _unm._ Buried at Festubert. Lieut.-Col. J. A. Aikin, Officer Commanding Sask. 29th L.H., wrote that he had been his Regt. Sergt.-Major for two years, and had always proved himself a good soldier. His two brothers, Major William Baty, 3rd Canadian Mounted Rifles, and Lieut. Edward Baty, are now (1916) on active service.

=BATY, THOMAS=, L.-Corpl. No. 3607, 2nd Royal Scots, 2nd _s._ of Alexander Baty, of 127, North High Street, Musselburgh, Collier, by his wife, Mary Anne, dau. of Charles Fraser, 42nd Highlanders (Black Watch) (who was killed in action at the Relief of Lucknow in 1857); _b._ Musselburgh, 3 Nov. 1877; educ. St. Peter’s School, Mill Hill, there; enlisted 13 Nov. 1899; served through the South African war (Queen’s and King’s medals); retired, 28 May, 1902, and afterwards worked as a miner; re-enlisted 1 Sept. 1914, after the outbreak of war; promoted L.-Corpl. March, 1915; went to the Front, 27 Dec. 1914, and was killed in action at Hooge, 25 Sept. 1915. He _m._ at Musselburgh, 8 July, 1910, Elizabeth (7, Rothesay Place, Musselburgh), dau. of William Moffat, of Musselburgh, and had two children, William, _b._ 20 Jan. 1914, and Mary Anne, _b._ 22 April, 1911.

=BAUCHOP, ARTHUR, C.M.G.=, Lieut.-Col., Otago Mounted Rifles, N.Z. Expeditionary Force, 3rd _s._ of the late Robert Bauchop, of Port Chalmers, New Zealand, by his wife, Maria, dau. of Peter Stewart; _b._ Port Chalmers, N.Z., 27 Feb. 1871; educ. there and Otago Boys School, Dunedin; entered the Volunteer Garrison Artillery at Dunedin in 1898, and served through the South African War with the 4th New Zealand Contingent 1900–2, being promoted Capt. 1900, Major 1901 and Lieut.-Col. 5 Sept. 1904. He first distinguished himself in the action at Ottoshoop, and was three times mentioned in despatches [London Gazette, 16 April, 1901, 20 Aug. 1901 and 25 April, 1902]; once, when a Major, for good service at the capture of a laager at Fanny Home, by Col. Bing. He held the Queen’s medal with four clasps and the King’s with two, and was awarded the C.M.G. for his services. He remained in South Africa for some time after the conclusion of the war and then returned to New Zealand, where he commanded in succession the Canterbury (1904), Wellington (1907) and Otago (1912) Military Districts. On the outbreak of the European War he was appointed to command the Otago Mounted Rifles with the N.Z. Expeditionary Force. Lieut-Col. Bauchop was wounded early in July, 1915, but had returned to duty, and was mortally wounded on Bauchop’s Hill during the great advance in Gallipoli, 7 Aug. 1915, and _d._ on board H.M.S. Delta, 10 Aug. following. He was buried at sea. Lieut.-Col. Bauchop was mentioned in Sir Ian Hamilton’s despatch of 22 Sept. 1915, for gallant and distinguished service in the field. He was a keen and very efficient officer, and most popular with his men. As a young man he was a prominent athlete, and held several long-distance records. He _m._ at Waikana, New Zealand, 12 Dec. 1912, Mary Jean, dau. of Henry Richardson Elder, of Waikana, N.Z., and had a dau., Elizabeth Elder, _b._ 19 May, 1915.

=BAVERSTOCK, ALFRED GEORGE=, Leading Seaman, 237242, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BAVIN, NIGEL BENJAMIN=, 2nd Lieut., 3rd Battn. Essex Regt., yst. _s._ of the late Benjamin Bavin, of Norwich, Solicitor; _b._ Northdene, Eaton, Norwich, 7 May, 1896; educ. Stubbington House, Fareham, Norwich Grammar School and Berkhamsted, was gazetted to the Essex Regt. from the Special Reserve of Officers, 15 Aug. 1914, and was killed by a shell, which fell in the trench, at St. Jean, near Ypres, 23 May, 1915; he was buried at La Brique.

=BAXTER, ALFRED JOYCE=, Private, No. 2769, 14th Battn. (London Scottish) The London Regt. (T.F.); _s._ of Arthur Boyd Baxter, of 161, Burntwood Lane, Tooting, S.W., Wholesale Bookbinder, by his wife, Jessie, dau. of William Joyce; _b._ Stoke Newington, N., 17 Oct. 1895; educ. Cambridge House School, Margate; joined the London Scottish after the outbreak of war, 1 Sept. 1914, was wounded at Vermelles, during the Battle of Loos, 25 Sept. 1915; and _d._ at No. 18 Casualty Clearing Station the following day; _unm._

=BAXTER, BERNARD EYRE=, Private, No. 10/275, West Coast (A) Coy., Wellington Infantry Regt., New Zealand Expeditionary Force, _s._ of Stanley Eyre Baxter, of North Lees, Mangamuka, Hokianga, N.Z., Farmer [_b._ Upper Holloway, Highgate, London, 1861; emigrated with family to New Zealand, 1909], by his wife, Emma Louisa, dau. of Stephen Green, of Downhead, Somersetshire; _b._ Hagg Hill Farm, Hinton, Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire, 2 July, 1893; educ. at Shepton Mallet and Ashford (Kent) Grammar Schools; was for 12 months a Cadet at Weraroa Experimental Farm, near Levin; volunteered directly war was declared in Aug. 1914; went to Egypt with his regt.; took part in the repulse of the Turkish attack on the Suez Canal in Feb., and in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25 April, and was killed in action at Anzac, Gallipoli, 29 April, 1915; _unm._