Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family Group:

Three: Private W. G. Bates, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
1914-15 Star (18277 Pte. G. Bates. Oxf. &. Bucks. L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (18277 Pte. W. G. Bates. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) good very fine

Three: Sergeant W. A. Bates, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
1914-15 Star (8185 Sjt. W. A. Bates. Oxf: & Bucks: L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (8185 Sjt. W. A. Bates. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) good very fine

Pair: Private G. Bates, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, killed in action at the Battle of the Somme, 24 August 1916
British War and Victory Medals (21735 Pte. G. Bates. Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.) traces of verdigris to last, very fine (8) £180-220

William George Bates was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and enlisted in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at High Wycombe on 16 April 1915. He served during the Great War in France from 22 August 1915, until 6 March 1918, and was discharged medically unfit on 16 April 1918.

William Arthur Bates was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, the son of William George and Emma Bates, and enlisted in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at High Wycombe. He served during the Great War with the 1st Battalion in the Asiatic theatre of War from 5 December 1914, and died in Mesopotamia on 24 September 1916. He is buried in Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq.

Gilbert Bates was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, the son of William George and Emma Bates, and enlisted in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He served during the Great War with the 5th Battalion, and was killed in action on the Western Front on 24 August 1916, on which date the battalion took part in the attack on Delville Wood, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.