Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

At the age of 21, Stanley embarked from Adelaide for service abroad, leaving his wife Eva Josephine Coates to wait for him.

On 13 Oct 1917, Stanley was hit by an eighteen pound shell at Polygon Wood near Anzac Ridge. Although taken to a casualty dressing station, he died the same day. The impact of the shell was so intense he was knocked out and his arm broken.  Two fellow soldiers saw the event unfold before their eyes. “I was just a few yards from him when he was hit by an eighteen pounder shell at Polygon Wood in supports on October 13th. He was knocked senseless and his arm was badly damaged. I had him sent to the d/s. We had official word that he died that same day at the D/S. Nothing known as to burial. He belonged to viii pl. b.coy.”

“I was right alongside him when Coates got his arm broken in supports Passchendaele sector. He was delirious as I helped to carry him forward to the d/s. Right behind the front line (about 200 yards) he was taken further back to a c.c.s. By divisional S/Bs and I understand he was then killed outright by a shell at the c.c.s. I was in same platoon.”

Stanley had many close friends and they remembered his quiet and fair natured personality.

Stanley was buried at Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium.

"...3217 Private Stanley Clarence Roy Coates, 32nd Battalion. A monumental worker from Yatala, South Australia, prior to enlistment, he embarked with the 7th Reinforcements from Adelaide on 27 June 1916 aboard HMAT Malakuta (A57) for Devonport, England. Following training in England he proceeded to France and joined his battalion on the Western Front near Dernancourt on 20 December 1916. A week later he was attached to the ANZAC Light Railway for six months before rejoining his unit near Bapaume. Pte Coates was killed in action near Zonnebeke, Belgium, on 13 October 1917. He was aged 22 years." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

Born 8 November 1894 in Woodville, South Australia
(SA Births 1842 - 1906 Book: 553 Page: 11 District: PtA.)

Father David COATES - b. 1851 - 22/08/1930 Adelaide, SA
19/02/1874    married Martha Chapman at Wesleyan Parsonage, Pirie Street, Adelaide, SA

Mother Martha (nee CHAPMAN)
b. 18/06/1854 Port Rd, Adelaide, SA - d. 17/06/1907 Queenstown, SA

Sibling: (the youngest son of 12 children)

Ada Elizabeth COATES   (b: 06/05/1874 in Brighton, SA - d. 23/07/1952 Kilkenny, SA)
    m.  16/10/1890 - Thomas Frederick PAINTER (b. 05/07/1858 Brighton, SA)
                              at Wesleyan Parsonage, Exeter, SA
Walter Thomas COATES   (b: 27/09/1875 in Brighton, SA)
Ethel Maud COATES  (b: 04/09/1878 in Hindmarsh, SA - d. 07/07/1951 Hectorville, SA)
    m. 02/02/1898 - Thomas Percy KENNEDY (b. 1862)
                             at residence of Mr Paynter, Baroota Creek, SA
Hilda May COATES   (b: 20/04/1880 in Woodville, SA - 28/09/1960 Woodville, SA)
    m. 29/01/1901 - William Henry WAREING (b. 06/10/1880 Queenstown, SA)
                             at her parents residence - David Coates - Woodville, SA)
David Perrevald (Percy David) COATES   (b: 29/12/1881 in Woodville, SA - d. 02/07/1926 Woodville, SA)
    m. 11/12/1915 - Lily BELL (b. 25/04/1886 York (now Beverley), SA
                             at residence of W C Brooker Alberton, SA
Mabel Florence COATES   (b: 07/07/1883 in Woodville, SA - d. 11/04/1955 Semaphore, SA)
    m. 28/06/1902 - Francis Henry Alger BAYLEY (b. 17/04/1879 in SA)
                             at Alberton Baptist Manse, Queenstown, SA
Herbert George COATES   (b: 15/05/1885 in Woodville, SA - d. 10/03/1952 Mile End, SA)
    m. 03/04/1912 - Vera Louisa LEE  (b. 10 Oct 1889 in Hindmarsh, SA)
                             at Studio of J Ashton, Adelaide, SA
Arnold Leonard COATES   (b: 31/07/1887 in Woodville, SA - d. 29/08/1961 Royal Park, SA)
    m. 21/11/1908 - Olive May Roach HALL  (b. 1891)
                             at Alberton Baptist Manse Queenstown, SA
Albert Ernest COATES   (b: 24/06/1889 in Woodville, SA - d. 25/05/1963 Springbank, SA)
     m. 18/12/1909 - Eva Myrtle Mary Ann GEORGE  (b. 29/01/1893 Queenstown, SA)
                              at Manse New St Port Adelaide, SA
Gladys Olive COATES   (b: 27/04/1892 in Woodville, SA)
Stanley Clarence Roy COATES   (b: 08/11/1894 in Woodville, SA)
Gladys Chapman COATES   (b: 18/04/1897 in Tenterdon (now Woodville), SA)

29/04/1916    Stanley MARRIED at 22 years of age to
                     Eva Josephine DAVIS  at St Paul Church, Port Adelaide, SA.
                     lived at Queen Street, Yatala East Alberton, SA

Next of kin in service:
Brother:  
3216 Private Albert Ernest Coates - in the same B Company
        (enlisted under Ernest Albert - with Stanley)
        28/11/1918 discharged from service in Australia
        25/05/1963 passed away at Springbank, SA
        buried in:    Cheltenham Cemetery, Cheltenham, SA
                         Section CX; Drive: A; Path (#): 11(22); Site #334C

Brother-in-law - (sister-in-law of Stanley's wife EVA):
6496  Private Harold Ernest ("Mick") Duncan   (b. 01/06/1892 Peterhead, SA)
         21/08/1916    enlisted
         21/10/1916    embarked from Port of Melbourne, VIC onboard HMAT A16 Port Melbourne
                              as a Private with 10th Battalion
         03/11/1917     Killed in Action at Zonnebeke, Belgium
                              No known grave
                              His name is commemorated on
                              - Panel 17 at The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
                              - Panel 58 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

Nephews:
S30245 Private Alan Rayner COATES  (son of Herbert George Coates)
            (b. 16/1/1916 Thebarton, SA)
            07/08/1940   enlisted into WWII at Mile End, SA
                                place of enlisting Southwark, SA
                                Private in 6 CAV Field Ambulance AAMC

SX39358 (S37636)  Sapper Stanley Lawrence PAINTER (son of Ada Elizabeth Painter)
              (b. 21/07/1914 Woodville, SA)
              06/11/1943  enlisted into WWII at Kilkenny, SA
                                place of enlisting 16 AUST PERS STG CAMP, QLD
              22/09/1945  discharged from service
                                 Sapper in 7 Australian Docks Operating Comapny R.A.E.

23105 (NAVY)  LDG STO Ernest William Mervyn COATES (son of Albert Ernest Coates)
                      (b. 16/02/1921 Queenstown, SA)
                      01/05/1939  enlisted into WWII NAVY at Nedlands, WA
                                         place of enlisting Melbourne, VIC
                      25/06/1944   discharged from service
                                          LDG STO (TY) with HMAS Torrens

23261 (NAVY)  Able Seaman Lloyd David COATES (son of Albert Ernest Coates)
                      (b. 3 Aug 1922 in Queenstown, SA)
                      06/06/1939  enlisted into WWII NAVY in Little Queenstown, SA
                                         place of enlisting Melbourne, VIC
                      Able Seaman with HMAS Perth
                      01/03/1942   killed in action - Sunda Strait, Netherlands East Indies
                      His name is commemorated:
                      - on Panel 72 (bottom of column 3) at Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth, Devon, England, UK
                      - on Panel 5 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT
                      - and his parents grave at Cheltenham Cemetery, Cheltenham, SA

PA4494 (NAVY)  Able Seaman Colin Rex COATES (son of Albert Ernest Coates)
                        (b. 25/05/1926 in Queenstown, SA)
                        12/10/1943  enlisted in Queenstown, SA
                                           place of enlisting Port Adelaide, SA
                        Able Seaman with Deloraine Pass
                        13/08/1946  discharged from service
                     

Previous service:
2 years Senior Cadets
3 years 76th Infantry still serving on enlisting

Stanley was described on enlisting as 21 years 4 months of age, married, 5' 6" tall; 117 lbs;
medium complexion; blue eyes; brown hair; Congregational

23/03/1916    enlisted into WWI in Adelaide, SA

29/04/1916    MARRIED  Eva Josephine Davis

27/06/1916    embarked from Outer Harbour, Port Adelaide, onboard HMAT Malakuta A57
                     as a Private with 8th Infantry Brigade, 32nd Infantry Battalion, 7th reinforcements
22/08/1916    disembarked into Devonport, England

11/11/1916    proceeding overseas to France, onboard SS Golden Eagle, ex Folkestone

12/11/1916    marched into Etaples, France

18/12/1916    proceeded to join 32nd Battalion in the field

27/12/1916    detached to Anzac Light Railways in the field

13/06/1917    rejoined 32nd Infantry Battalion in the field, near Bapaume.

13/10/1917    originally reported as wounded in action in the field

13/10/1917    later reported killed in action in the field

14/10/1917    buried at:  Bellewarde Ridge Military Cemetery, J.7.C.6.6
                                     confirmed by 1st Anzac Corps Burial Officer

19/01/1918    Stated by 3768 J Ponton at HQ Devres
                     "I was just a few yards from Coates, he was hit by an eighteen pounder shell at
                      Polygon Wood in supports on October 13th, 1917 .  He was knocked senseless and
                      his arm was badly damaged.  I had him sent to the Dressing Station (D/S). We
                      had official word that he died that same day at the D/S."

05/03/1918    Stated by 1118 E L Brosson, 32nd Battalion, Westham
                     "I was right alongside him when Coates got his arm broken in supports
                      Passchendaele sector.  He was delirious as I helped to carry him forard to the D/S,
                      right behind the front line (about 200 yards).  He was taken further back to a
                      Casualty Clearing Station (C.C.S.) by Divisional stretcher bearers and I
                      understand he was then killed outright by a shell at the C.C.S.  I was in the same
                      platoon."

19/12/1919     Remains Ex-humed and Re-buried in:
                     Birr Cross Roads Cemetery
                     one mile East-South East of Ypres,

Medals:          British War medal (42396), Victory medal (41944) and
                     Memorial Scroll and Plaque (339363)

His name is commemorated on Panel 120 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  06/01/2017.  Lest we forget.