Richard Bate

Richard (Dick) Bate was born in a house on Brant Broughton High St in 1879.  His parents were Robert Bate and Mary (nee Smalley).

In 1901 he was 22 and an assistant butcher, living with the butcher John Hobbins in Front St.  In 1911 Richard and his brother William were living with another brother, Tom in Tupton, near Chesterfield, where Richard and William were brick-makers.

He was killed in action on 11^th April 1917, whilst serving with 1^st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment during the Battle of Arras. The attack on Bullecourt was initially scheduled for 10th April, but the tanks intended for the assault were delayed by bad weather and it was postponed for 24 hours. The attack was resumed on the morning of 11 April; but only 11 tanks were serviceable, and the limited artillery barrage left much of the German barbed wire uncut.  

Richard was buried in Wancourt British Cemetery near Arras.