Robert Gates likeness

Robert Gates cap badgePrivate Robert Gates

6th (Service) Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Service No: 13363

Robert Gates grave

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Personal details

Family Information

Son of James (25/12/1870 - 16/10/1950) and Mary Margaret Duncan Gates (26/02/1867 - 14/02/1912). Robert's father was born in Ireland and was a foreman fencer. Robert was 1 of 7 children. His older brother Corporal James Gates M.M. of the 7th Battalion (1st British Columbia) C.E.F was awarded the Military Medal on the 25/01/1918 for devotion to duty by repairing communication wires under heavy shell fire. He arrived in France with the first Canadian contingent and fought at Messines and Vimy Ridge. He was also involved in the retreat from Mons. From the 1901 Census - Address - 9 Jackson St, Coatbridge - James Gates aged 35, Mary Gates aged 33, James Gates aged 7, Robert Gates aged 5, Thomas Gates aged 3, Emma Gates aged 3 months and James Morrison aged 24. Robert also had a brother Ewan (10/07/1900 - 10/06/1966) and sisters Jemima (30/05/1902 - 12/06/1992) and Mary (09/02/1907 - 02/10/1985). Robert's Pension was awarded to his stepmother Jane who died on the 02/02/1922. It then passed to his father James of 3d Mauldslie St, Coatbridge.

Born / Resided

Coatbridge / 23 Coats St, Coatbridge.

Died

Killed in Action on the 09/08/1915 at Chocolate Hill, Gallipoli

Enlisted

Coatbridge 1914

Employed

Painter with Messrs John Wilson and Son.

Age

19 / DOB - 12/01/1896

Buried / Remembered

Helles Memorial (Panel 192 to 197), Turkey.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea. The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further landings were made at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. However, the difficult terrain and stiff Turkish resistance soon led to the stalemate of trench warfare. The Helles Memorial serves the dual function of Commonwealth battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign and place of commemoration for many of those Commonwealth servicemen who died there and have no known grave. The United Kingdom and Indian forces named on the memorial died in operations throughout the peninsula, the Australians at Helles. There are also panels for those who were lost at sea, in one of the troopships sunk off Gallipoli. Over 20,000 names are commemorated on this memorial.

Additional Information

Robert and the Battalion arrived at "C" Beach, Suvla Bay, Gallipoli with the 30th Brigade,10th (Irish) Division on the 07/08/1915 and was reported missing 2 days later after an attack by the Battalion at Chocolate Hill. The Battalion War Diary states - "6th Dublin Fusiliers: Battalion attached to 33rd Brigade (General Maxwell). Moved from beach around 02.20 to Hill 50. "A" Company detached to support the right flank of the Brigade. Battalion ordered to support firing line Ali Bay Chesme point 105-H-8. Officers Killed - Lieutenant Doyle. Wounded believed Killed - Lieutenant Stanton and 2nd Lieutenant McGarry. Wounded and Missing - Major Jennings. Wounded - Captain Luke, Captain Carroll, Lieutenant Martin, 2nd Lieutenant Carter, 2nd Lieutenant Mortimer, 2nd Lieutenant O'Carroll. Missing - Lieutenant Clery. Killed, Missing, Wounded Other Ranks = 259". This is an extract for the Belfast Telegraph 05/02/1916 - "Private Robert Gates, 6th RDF. Missing since August 9th at the Dardanelles. Any information will be thankfully received by his Aunt, Mrs Leech, 6 Queen Victoria St, Belfast". The Battalion would take part in some desperate fighting in the Suvla Bay area, including the advance on to Hill 50 (Green Hill) where the Battalion lost heavily (alongside the 7th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers) and Kiretch Tepe Sirt. Of the original 1,000 Officers and Men who disembarked with the Battalion in August 1915, only a third of the original cohort were still serving with the Battalion a month later. Nearly 700 had been either killed, wounded or evacuated sick. Of the 125 Officers and men who are recorded as killed, four in every five have no known grave. SEE PHOTOS x 5 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY JULY - SEPTEMBER 1915, PHOTOS x 2 FOR OFFICER CASUALTIES 09/08/1915 and PHOTOS x 26 FOR THE 10th (IRISH) DIVISION AUGUST 1915. Robert's name on the Helles Memorial kindly donated by Mick McCann at the britishwargraves.co.uk. Robert is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College, St. John's Church and Coatbridge High Schools Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for Robert's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his name on the Ireland Memorial Records, Robert's name on the Helles Memorial, Robert's Pension Records x 3 and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Cap Badge. Also see photos x 42 for information on Robert's brother Corporal James Gates M.M. who survived the war. In January 1918 he was in Woolwich Hospital with a severe wound to the leg. Before going to Canada James was employed with William Bain and Company. He enlisted on the 19/09/1914 in Vancouver and was invalided to Canada on the 24/09/1918 and discharged in Vancouver on the 09/10/1919. James was born on the 09/11/1892 and died on the 28/05/1956. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 2 (Coatbridge Express. 1 mentions brother James) and the 10th (Irish) Division Order of Battle x 14 (the Division Robert was with when he died).

Photos
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War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

Creative Commons License

We have made this information and the images available under a Creative Commons BY-NC license. This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement: © coatbridgeandthegreatwar.com

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