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