The Bates Family

---

Alfred Edward Bates was born in 1850, in Manchester, England, son of Mr. Robert Jackson Bates, a leading cotton manufacturer in the North of England.

He arrived in Australia in 1875, becoming a commercial traveller for wholesale drug houses for a number of years. After buying a farm at Moorooduc, the family eventually settled in Mornington. Alfred Bates became a Councillor on the Shire of Mornington and was treasurer of the Mornington Progress Association and also treasurer of the Fire Brigade Committee.

The whole family was heavily involved in the Red Cross, supporting their only son and brother Cpl. Robert Bartlett Bates who served with distinction at Gallipoli and in France. Cpl Bates was awarded the Military Medal for bravery at Lone Pine and again in France at Pozieres where he was awarded a bar to his Military Medal for bravery.

Cpl. Bates was a Quaker and a pacifist and worked during the war as a Stretcher Bearer.

After the war he studied theology at Oxford University and returned home to take up a Parish in Brisbane. The town was shocked when, on Easter Day, 1917 Alfred Bates was knocked down by a motor car while attempting to cross Main Street. He later died. This may have been Mornington’s first fatal motor car accident.

The townspeople held Mr. Bates in such high regard a public appeal was held to raise money for a memorial to him, and in three weeks 102 subscribers pledged £40. A clock was placed on the front of the Mechanics Institute with the inscription: "This clock was erected by public subscription to commemorate the many services rendered to the town by Alfred E. Bates, Esq. J.P. August 1917."

The Mornington & District Historical Society held an appeal to raise funds for the restoration of the clock so that it could be placed in the new Mornington Library when it opened in 2004.

 

Cpl. Robert Bartlett Bates - Military Medal

---

As ever, the stretcher-bearers were risking life and limb in their brave efforts to get the wounded out of Lone Pine. Private Robert Bates, of the 7th Battalion Medical Section was later awarded the Military Medal for his efforts during the battle.

 

"The stretcher-bearers were kept busy evacuating the wounded and Pte Bates had, in consequence to do practically the whole work bringing the wounded under cover from the firing line and rendering first aid.

He carried out his work repeatedly and fearlessly under heavy bombing.

During the enemy’s counter-attack on the morning of 9 August, 1915, Pte Bates continued the same work while the attack lasted.

His first-aid work was also of a very high order." 1

A year later in France, at Pozieres, he would be awarded a bar to his Military Medal.

 

"At Pozieres, France, on 21st August, 1916, Corporal Bates of the A.M.C. attached to the 7th Battalion showed conspicuous bravery during the fighting around Pozieres. By his calmness and coolness under very heavy fire he encouraged his Stretcher-bearers and others. He has shown excellent work with the Battalion from the time of its formation and has never missed a day from it. During the day of the 21st of August, he, under very heavy fire, went out into No Man's Land and read the burial service over a fallen comrade. He remained in No Mans Land over one hour and during the whole time the enemy's shelling was extremely heavy." 2

1 & 2 Extracts from the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 19 April, 1917

Mechanics Institute

---