George Henry GATES MM

GATES, George Henry

    Service Number: 7572
    Enlisted: 16 February 1917, Enlisted at Sydney
    Last Rank: Sergeant
    Last Unit: 34th Infantry Battalion
    Born: Petersham, New South Wales, Australia, February 1897
    Home Town: Petersham, Marrickville, New South Wales
    Schooling: Summer Hill Public School, New South Wales, Technical College, Sydney
    Occupation: Soldier
    Died: Killed in Action, France, 20 August 1918
    Cemetery: Beacon Cemetery, Sailly-Laurette
    Plot V1, Row G, Grave 8, Beacon Cemetery, Sailly-Laurette, Bray-sur-Somme, Picardie, France
    Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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    World War 1 Service

    16 Feb 1917: Enlisted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 7572, 13th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Sydney
    10 May 1917: Involvement Sergeant, 7572, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Marathon embarkation_ship_number: A74 public_note: ''
    10 May 1917: Embarked Sergeant, 7572, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Marathon, Sydney
    13 Aug 1918: Honoured Military Medal, Confirmation of the Military Medal was not made until January 1919 Citation Reads:- For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations against enemy positions south of the Somme east of Hamel on 8th August, 1918. Sergeant Gates was a Platoon Sergeant and during the attack on Accroche Wood was detailed to collect parties who had lost their units in the wood owing to dense fog. This was carried out under very heavy artillery fire, and Sergeant Gates collected some thirty men whom he formed into a platoon and led forward to the left flank of his Company. During the advance he showed conspicuous gallantry in attacking a terrace of dugouts which were defended by a machine gun on their flank. Sergeant Gates rushed this position killing two of the Gunners and capturing a heavy machine gun after severe fighting. He then led the remainder of his men forward and captured over thirty men in the dugouts. With his platoon he greatly assisted protecting the flank of his Company and keeping touch with the Company on his left. He afterwards led his men forward to the final objective, assisted in reorganising his platoon, and returning his men to their proper units. His bravery was outstanding.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 61 Date: 23 May 1919
    20 Aug 1918: Involvement Sergeant, 7572, 34th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 7572 awm_unit: 34th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-08-20

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    Biography contributed by Carol Foster

    Son of Arthur Henry and Elizabeth Temperence Gates if 'Arlington' Greenacre Road, Hurstville, NSW; brother of Frank Johnson Gates who was killed in action while serving with the 1st Machine Gun Battalion

    Medals: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal

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