George Edward Cates VC (9 May 1892 – 9 March 1917) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

(VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and Commonwealth forces. Cates was born on 9 May 1892 to George and Alice Ann Cates, of

Wimbledon, London Wimbledon () is a district and town of Southwest London, England, southwest of the centre of London at Charing Cross; it is the main commercial centre of the London Borough of Merton. Wimbledon had a population of 68,187 in 2011 which includes ...

.Cates, George Edward
Commonwealth War Graves Commission After attending

Rutlish School Rutlish School is a state comprehensive school for boys, formerly a grammar school with the same name originally located on Rutlish Road, Merton Park, and relocated in 1957 on nearby Watery Lane, Merton Park, in southwest London. History The sc ...

in Merton, he worked as a clerk for an insurance company. In December 1914, after the outbreak of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he joined the 28th London Regiment (

Artists’ Rifles The 21 Special Air Service Regiment (Artists) (Reserve), historically known as The Artists Rifles is a regiment of the Army Reserve. Its name is abbreviated to 21 SAS(R). Raised in London in 1859 as a volunteer light infantry unit, the regimen ...

), and went to France in August 1915. He was later commissioned second lieutenant. He was a 24 years old second lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion,

The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

, during the

, and was awarded the VC for his actions on 8 March 1917 at Bouchavesnes,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Citation

Cates died of his wounds the next day. Two of his brothers also died during the war. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the

Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum is situated at Peninsula Barracks in Winchester, England. The museum is one of several regimental museums that form part of Winchester's Military Museums. History The museum brings together the collection ...

, Winchester, England. Cates is commemorated on both the Wimbledon and Richardson Evans Memorial Fields war memorials, and has a plaque at the former.See Wikimedia Commons pictures at: Photo - War Memorial, Richardson Evans Memorial playing fields Photo - Memorial plaque to Second Lieutenant George Cates

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cates, George Edward 1892 births 1917 deaths People from Wimbledon, London Rifle Brigade officers Artists' Rifles soldiers British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross British military personnel killed in World War I British Army personnel of World War I British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross People educated at Rutlish School