David McIntosh Battes

Military Information

  • Date of enlistment:
  • Place of enlistment:
  • Service no: Clyde Z/2638
  • Rank: Able Seaman
  • Service Occupation:
  • Awards:
  • Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
  • Unit/Ship: Anson Battalion, R.N. Div
  • Place of Death: France
  • Age at Death: 31
  • Date of Death: 11.11.1918
  • Burial Country: France
  • Cemetery: Nouvelles Communal Cemetery
  • Grave/Mem Ref no: East side

Personal Information

  • Date of Birth: 05.02.1887
  • Place of Birth:
  • Address: 21 Mellville St, Lochgelly
  • Occupation: Miner
  • Mother:

    Mrs Battes, 28 Dura St, Dundee

  • Father:

    James M. Battes, 28 Dura St, Dundee

  • Siblings:

    Robert

  • Spouse:
  • Children:

More about David McIntosh Battes

David McIntosh Battes CZ/2638 Anson Bn Royal Naval Division

DUNDEE A. B. DIES FROM WOUNDS.

David McIntosh Battes, Royal Naval Division, who died from wounds in France on 11th November, was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs James M. Battes, 28 Dura Street.  Deceased, who was 31 years of age, joined up four years ago, and went through the Dardanelles campaign.  He was afterwards transferred to France, where he was wounded on 10th November.  Prior to enlistment he was a miner in Lochgelly.  Another brother Robert, is serving in France with the Royal Engineers.

Dundee Courier 2nd January 1919

David M Battes was the son of Mr and Mrs James M Battes of 28 Dura Street, Erskine Place, Dundee and joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve for service in the Royal Naval Division onboard HMS Unicorn in Dundee. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training. He went to Gallipoli in May 1915. Days after the Third Battle of Krithia he was slightly wounded on the head by a bullet on 7 June and evacuated to hospital in Malta. He rejoined his Battalion at the end of the campaign in January 1916. The RND went to France in May to fight on the Western Front and David Battes would have fought in the Somme, Miraumont, Gavrelle, Passchendaele and Welsh Ridge battles. He was granted home leave in December 1916 and again in January 1918. David Battes died of wounds received on 10 November 1918 and is buried in Nouvelles Communal Cemetery, Mons, Belgium. His name is spelt Battis in the Dundee City Roll of Honour. By a strange twist of fate there are only eight CWGC graves in this cemetery. Four are dated 23-24 August 1914, and died in the first actions between Britain and Germany and the other four are dated 11 November 1918, the day the Armistice was signed.

Additional information kindly supplied by Michael Caldwell

Further information by Iain Stewart and Iain Birnie

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