OUR ANZACS
Robert Bartlett Bates – Mornington’s stretcher bearer hero By Peter McCullough OF the 120 listed on the honour roll in Mornington’s Memorial Park, a number were decorated for bravery under fire. One of those was Robert Bates of the Australian Army Medical Corps who returned home with a Military Medal (won at Lone Pine) and Bar (won at Pozieres.) What makes his record different to the other 119 is that he was a pacifist and never fired a shot during his years of service. ROBERT Bates was born at Kew in 1887, the only son of Alfred and Isabella (nee Bartlett). The war was only a few weeks old when Robert enlisted on 19 August, 1914; his serial number was 375. During 1914 he had been an integral team member of the Mornington Football Club which finished the season as runners-up to Hastings. Although the family address was “Una”, The Esplanade, Mornington, Robert’s occupation was shown as “grazier” on the electoral roll as the family owned a farm at Moorooduc. However at the time of his enlistment Robert was training for the priesthood at the small Anglo-Catholic St. John’s College in Melbourne; accordingly his enlistment papers state his occupation as “student.” On 21 October, 1914 he sailed on HMAT A20 Hororata as a member of the Australian Army Medical Corps
Promoted to corporal, it was not long before Bates was in action in France where he was awarded a bar to his Military Medal. The citation, published on 21 August, 1916 read: In trenches N.E. of POZIERES, FRANCE on the 21st August, Cpl BATES attached to 7th Bn showed conspicuous bravery during the fighting around POZIERES. He continuously by his calmness and coolness under very heavy shell fire stimulated over-excited men to return to their duties in the line. 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. He under very heavy shell fire went out into No Mans Land and read the burial service barehanded, over a fallen Comrade and beside those he was unable to bury placed a wooden cross, bearing their names and particulars concerning them. He remained in No Mans Land over one hour and during the whole time the enemy’s shelling was extremely heavy.
Above: Mornington football team, 1914. Robert Bates circled.
attached to the 7th Battalion. Robert Bates took part in the Gallipoli landing and was awarded the Military Medal for his bravery at Lone Pine. The citation, published in the London Gazette on 27 October, 1915, read: The enemy was heavily bombing
the position all night. The stretcherbearers were kept busy evacuating the wounded and Private Bates had. in consequence to do practically all the work of bringing the wounded under cover from the firing line and rendering first aid.
He carried out this work repeatedly and fearlessly under very heavy bombing. During the enemy’s counter attack on the morning of the 9th August, 1915, Private Bates continued the same work while the attack lasted.
In the opinion of one Anzac officer, expressed in London Opinion and later in The Mirror of Australia on 24 February 1917, a Victoria Cross would not have been out of place: I’ve pretty well given up belief in miracles; but this war has raised a lot
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AUSTRALIANS AT TH E G R E AT WAR 1914 - 1918
A N Z A C D AY AWM PB10
THE ODE
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They shall grow not old,, as we that are left grow old; ld;; m, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. Private Stafford John Greer (1891-1917) P aate Stafford Priva ff JJohn Greer is ppictured with his wife Margaret and their baby Lillian Marion. P vate Greer served in the 42nd Battaalion and served on the Western Front. He died of his Priv w nds, aged 26 at Warneton, Belgium and is interred at the Trois-Arbres Cemetery in France. woun
At the going down of thee sun and in the morning,, We will remember them.
Local Services Monday 25th April Frankston 5:45am Dawn Service, Frankston War Memorial Beauty Park, High Street (near Spring Street), Frankston 10:30am March and Commemoration Service at 11.00am, Frankston War Memorial, Beauty Park, High Street (near Spring Street), Frankston Mount Eliza 2:00pm Service, Mount Eliza Community Centre, 90-100 Canadian Bay Road, Mount Eliza
Mornington 6:00am Dawn Service, Memorial Park, Barkley Street, Mornington 9:45am March and Service 10.00am, Corner of Queen and Main Street to Memorial Park, Barkley Street, Mornington Seaford 9:30am March and Service, Nepean Highway (Peninsula Dry Cleaners) and Station Street to Seaford Cenotaph, Seaford RSL, Station Street, Seaford
THE HON
BRUCE BILLSON
MP P
Federal Member for Dunkley ley eyy
Electorate Office Details 20 Davey Street, Frankston VIC 3199 P 9781 2333 E b.billson.mp@aph.gov.au W www.brucebillson.com.au Authorised by Bruce Billson MP, 20 Davey Street, Frankston VIC 3199. 199. AW M
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Mornington News 19 April 2016
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