Sergeant (Nav.Bomber) 1195168 Harold Bate

BMD details:
Marriage of Harold Bate to Mary Rebecca Bromilow registered Q1 1933 at Bingham, Notts. Vol 7b - Page 758.

Family details:
Son of James and Edith Bate; husband of Mary Rebecca Bate, of Chelsea, Victoria, Australia. Ordained Minister of Religion.

Census details:
1911 - 2 years old Harold is living at 32 Hanover Street, St Helens with parents James (26) Susan Edith (29) and two siblings: Leonard (5) Alwyn James (7 mths) Also at the address are James's In-Laws Thomas Naylor (58), Susan Naylor (58), Harry Naylor (20). 1939 Register. 31 years old Harold Bate born 23/08/1908 a Minister Of Religion Constructional Division and wife Mary Rebecca Bate born 14/02/1905 an Unpaid Domestic are living at Keeling New Road, Ludlow, Shropshire. One member of the household is redacted (son Gordon born 01/08/1934)

[pic]imgs/WW2_misc/1942Lancaster2.jpg[/pic] [center][b]207 Squadron RAF.[/b] Aircraft Lancaster, Code EM-Q, Serial no. W4191. Date of Incident 21st December 1942 Details, The aircraft took off at 17.15 from Langar [b]Target:[/b] Monchen. Shot down by a German night fighter at 00.02, it crashed between Elst and Rhenen near youth-hostel Eikelkamp. [b]Crew:[/b] All died. Sgt. H. Bate (navigator) Sgt. G.J. Bentley (wop/air gunner) Sgt. P.C. Hind (bomber) Sgt. G.J. Dean(air gunner) Sgt. C.A. Davey (air gunner) Sgt. J.R. Walker (pilot) Fl.off. D.R. Bannerman (pilot) R.N.Z.A.F.[/center] Harold Bate was born 23rd August 1908 at 32 Hanover St, St Helens to James Bate (coal miner) and Susan Edith Bate (nee Naylor). He was married 23 March 1933 at Keyworth Congregational Church, Keyworth to Mary Rebecca Bromilow (1905 - 1957) (daughter of William Bromilow, watchmaker, Eccleston) Harold trained as a minister at Paton College, Nottingham and was ordained on July 9th, 1933 at the Ormskirk St, Congregational Church, St Helens. At the same time, he was appointed to the London Missionary Society and was sent to Wuhan, China later the same year. Whilst there, they had a son Gordon Edward Bate (born 1st August 1934, Kuling, Lushan Province, China). When Japan invaded China (1937), they returned to England. After the outbreak of the war, Harold attempted to enlist as a Chaplain but was knocked back. He therefore enlisted in the RAF. After the war, his widow Mary and son Gordon migrated to Australia as a part of the ten pound migration scheme. Mary died 1957 in Melbourne, Gordon died 2012 in Melbourne [i](Research by Grandson Rod Bate)[/i] [pic]imgs/WW2_headstones/1195168HaroldBate.jpg[/pic][caption]The headstone of Sergeant Harold Bate at Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery (All Photograph Courtesy of Grandson Rod Bate)[/caption]