Ralph Bates

[Maarheeze]

I am from Maarheeze, a small village in the south of the Netherlands, near the Belgian border. There is a small Commonwealth war cemetery in Maarheeze and I am interested in the stories of the 42 men buried at this cemetery. One of them is Fusilier Ralph Bates (service number 4199997). He was a member of the 6th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers. He died on october 10, 1944 at the age of 28.
Is there anyone who could tell me more about Ralph Bates or about his unit?
Thanks for your time and i hope someone has got some information.

[ap1]

Hi Maarheeze, a warm welcome to you.

I have a book that covers the history of the 6th Bn in WW2. Basically a day by day account of their war. Unfortunately I won't be
back in the UK until mid Oct. Hopefully one of our other researchers will pick up on this thread and assist before then.

Good Luck

[Aled Roberts]

I have the book that Al mentions, I just can't seem to find it ....

Ralph enlisted into the 4th Bn RWF on the 5th April 1940. He died of wounds, so had obviously been evacuated to the Monastery there which was being used as a Hospital. The date of his wounds are unknown.

The 6th Battalion and the 4th Battalion were both in the same Brigade (158th) of the 53rd Welsh Division up until August 1944, but as to his transfer to from 4th to 6th I have no record.

Hopefully swiper will pick up on this thread as WWII is more his specialist subject.

Richard

[Maarheeze]

Thanks a lot for your very fast reply.

[LarsA]

I have the book , found it, but can find nothing definite on this. The days just around this date I think the btn was near Elst, but the dates are inspecific. Will have a look again tomorrow in case the sun makes everything clearer.

ATB,
Lars

[LarsA]

From around 24/25 september the btn was heavily in action near Reusel. They then moved to Elst, where they took up positions for about 10 days from the 6th october.

/Lars

[Swiper]

Frustratingly I don't have transcribed copies of 6 RWF's War Diary as they are hard to read (hand written). The digital photos I have of them are in a 5gb file as well which I still haven't sorted out yet -_-

I'll go through what I have on that which isn't much. I was trying to find a copy of the 6 RWF book, but still don't want to fork out £100 for it! I'm afriad I may not be much use on this one until I sort out that file.

[Maarheeze]

Someone told me there was an incident in 's-Hertogenbosch with B-Company, 6th RWF on the day Ralph Bates died, 25th october 1944. He read it in a divisional history.
In the early morning soldiers of B-company, 6th RWF crossed the Zuidwillemsvaart in or near 's-Hertogenbosch. The first boat got hit by german fire and some soldiers died, the others were wounded.
Unfortunately he couldn't tell if Ralph Bates was one of the soldiers in this boat.

I have made a website about the Sterksel/Maarheeze cemetery and there is some information about 6RWF (and 53rd Welsh Infantry Division) in The Netherlands on it. English is not my native language, so please keep that in mind when you read it. :)
http://www.warcemeteries.nl

[Maarheeze]

Today i spoke to someone living in 's-Hertogenbosch and he confirmed the incidents with the boats on october 25, 1944. He met two buddies of Ralph Bates during a commemoration of the Battle of 's-Hertogenbosch. They told him Bates was hit in the head by a German sniper. He was seriously injured and died either there, on the way to the hospital in Sterksel or in the hospital itself.
So it looks like i know what happended to him, now i'm still looking for information about his life before he joined the army and about what kind of person he was.

[ap1]

The written history of the 6th Bn RWF, confirms that B Coy made two attempts to cross Zuid Willems Canal. Under the Comd of Major C.E Hill, they made their first attempt at dawn on the 25th. No sooner than it was in the water, the Germans raked the boat with heavy Spandau fire at almost point blank range. Killing or wounding all the occupants.

The 2nd attempt incorporating the use of smoke, commenced at 11am the same day. The smoke failed to form a thick enough screen and combined with the enemies use of heavy MG fire, that 2nd attempt was also abandoned.

[Maarheeze]

Thanks Ap1. Thanks to a dutchman from 's-Hertogenbosch, who had contact with a buddy of Ralph Bates, and also with Chris Hill, i allready know a lot more about him, including this story with the canalcrossing.
On my website i have written the following (sorry for my english):

<DL><DT>Ralph Bates enlisted into the army on april 5, 1940. He joined the 4th Battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers and at some point made the transfer to B-company, 6th Battalion. <DT>On october 25, 1944 the 6th Battalion was fighting in 's-Hertogenbosch. B-company, under Major Chris E. Hill, tried to cross the Zuid Willemsvaart in the morning which was dawned with thick mist. They found some small fisherboats near the citadel in 's-Hertogenbosch. The first boat was succesfully launched into the canal, but no sooner was it in the water than the Germans sank it, and killed or wounded all the carrying party with machinegunfire at almost point blank range. It was necessary to abandon the attempt and to make a new plan. A second attempt was launched at about 1100 hours, but a smoke screen failed and the intensity of German fire made it impossible to approach the bank without heavy loss. <DT>Ralph Bates was killed in the early hours of 25 october. He was probably covering the canalcrossing when he was shot in the head by a German sniper. A fellow member of B-company, Richard Trevor, saw Ralph Bates smoking a sigarette and talking to Glyn Thomas. Trevor then left. When he returned Ralph Bates had been shot. It is unknown why he was taken to Sterksel, to the hospital, when he was allready dead. There were more soldiers from B-company killed in 's-Hertogenbosch and they are buried in Uden and Heesch. Maybe he was still alive after he was shot and was taken to Sterksel because there were no medical units in 's-Hertogenbosch who could treat his injuries. </DT></DL>There is also a picture of Ralph Bates on my site: http://www.warcemeteries.nl