Sergeant Harold Bate

Navigator/Bomber

* 23 August 1908 St. Helens

† 21 December 1942 Elst UT

Son of James and Susan Edith Bate of St.Helens

Husband of Mary Rebecca Bate

  Ordained minister of Religion

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Service nr. 1195168

Harold Bate was born on August 23, 1908, in this little house, 32 Hanover Street, St. Helens.

(Now Kitchener Street)

Quite a few people were  living in this little house in 1911. Not only Harold and his two brothers, his father and mother, but also grandpa, grandma and an uncle

 

March 29, 1933 Harold Bate married Mary Rebecca Bromilow March 29, 1933. Both were theological students.

Harold Bate was ordained at the Ormskirk Street Congregational Church, St. Helens, on the  9th of July 1933. 

Later that year he joined the London Missionary Society and was sent to Wuhan, China.

August 18, 1933 Harold and Mary Rebecca Bate boarded the SS Mantua, port of destination: Shanghai.

The ship made calls at many ports as can be seen on the passenger list.

On the photo Harold Bate and his son Gordon Edward Bate, born the 1st of August, 1934, in Kuling, Wuhan, China.

Due to the uncertain situation and an imminent war between China and Japan, Mary and son Gordon returned to England in 1936. They arrived in London on October 9, 1936 as shown on the passengerlist on the left.

In 1937 Japan invaded China and Harold decided to return to England.

As shown on the passenger list, Harold traveled via Canada and arrived in Liverpool on September 3, 1938.

In 1939 they lived in Ludlow, Shropshire.
Image on the left : 1939 Register.

After the outbreak of the war, he applied as an army chaplain but was rejected. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force and was trained as a Navigator/Bomber.

August 19, 1942, his training was completed and he was posted to No. 207 Squadron.

His first operational flight was on September 6, 1942. His last, fatal, operational flight on December 21, 1942. In total he was on no fewer than 18 operations, see the list at the left.

 

 

Below are extracts from the Operations Record Books with the operational flights of Harold Bate

His hometown St.Helens, the Memorial is in the Townhall Square.

Harold Bate is commemorated here.

After the war, his widow Mary and son Gordon emigrated to Australia under the ten pound migration scheme. Mary died 1957 in Melbourne

Gordon married Elsa Margaret McMicken in June 1957 at the Gardenvale Congregational Church. They had three children: Helen, Graeme and Rodney. Rodney and Graeme provided me with a lot of information and photos.
Gordon died 2012 in Melbourne, Elsa in 2015.

The 16th of December 2017 Graeme Bate and his wife Barb visited the Leusden Cemetery and the crash site in Elst UT, almost 75 years to the day the Lancaster was shot down. Graeme is a grandson of Harold Bate. Flowers were laid on the grave of Harold Bate and the other crew members. Then we went to Elst UT for a meeting with members of the Local History Society. Mr. Willem van de Burgt handed over some pieces of the Lancaster. Next was a visit to the crash site where Mayor Hans van der Pas welcomed Graeme and Barb. Flowers were laid at the spot where the Lancaster crashed and Gertjan van Dorland also handed over some pieces of the bomber. Then we had lunch together. During this lunch Graeme showed us a letter his grandfather wrote to his family on the 12th of December 1942. He has done 16 trips so far and is looking forward to meet his family with Christmas. On the 23rd of December he will go on leave….. It wasn't to be. Very moving!

Some photo's of the visit.

At the Rusthof Cemetery Leusden

Willem van de Burgt hands over pieces of the Lancaster.

Mayor Hans van der Pas welcomes Graeme and Barb Bate at the crashsite.

Flowers are laid  at the crashsite by Graeme Bate.

Gertjan van Dorland hands over pieces of the Lancaster.

Toon Blokland, coordinator of the Local History Society hands over some presents.

Graeme and Barb Bate at the local memorial in Elst UT.

Many thanks to Rodney  and Graeme Bate and "The St. Helens Roll of Honour" for  their help in this research.

Harold Bate is buried at the Rusthof Cemetery, Leusden, and is commemorated at the memorial in Elst UT.