William Franklin Bate
2nd Lieutenant Royal Air Force
Division 75
William Bate was the son of Rev. J. D. and Mrs Bate. He died on the 22nd February 1920 aged 41. The inscription on the headstone states:
“After a long and painful illness bravely borne”.
William Bates grave is a registered CWGC grave with a personal headstone.
William Bate attested in February 1916 and originally served with the Devonshire Regiment and in February 1917 worked for the Pay Corps. He transfered to the school of aeronautics at Reading in September 1917 and gained his commission in October 1917. His military record indicates that he was previously employed as a Photographer and the medical details showed that he had previously had a kidney operation, a carcenoma is recorded and it may be that he died from a reoccurance from this disease.