Name
Thomas Henry Gates
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/12/1917
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Stoker 1st Class
K/36916
Royal Navy
H.M.S "Surprise "
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
FLUSHING (VLISSINGEN) NORTHERN CEMETERY
II. 2. 5.
Netherlands
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin War Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin,
St Faith's Church War Memorial, Walsworth
Pre War
His home was at River Bank, Walsworth and his parents were William Thomas and Emily Elisabeth Gates of Walsworth, Hitchin, Herts. Before joining the Royal Navy he had been employed by Keatley & Gresham in Letchworth. His Service Number was K36916 and he joined the service about September 1916.
Wartime Service
His ship, the destroyer H.M.S. ‘Surprise’ had been built in 1916 and was of 910 tons. It was torpedoed by a German Submarine off the Maas Lightship. The ship's company was of about 100 men.
His body was found and is buried in Plot II, Row 2, Grave 5 in Flushing Vlissingen Northern Cemetery, Holland
Additional Information
On the 23rd December 1917, the Royal Navy lost 3 destroyers with a loss of 252 seamen. HMS Tornado, HMS Torrent and HMS Surprise, were all three lost to a minefield laid by the Germans one month before near the Maas light Vessel to protect the port of Rot
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
