BORN HESSLE 1887. ONLY SON OF ALBERT MARTIN COATES (1863-1942) & ANNIE ELIZABETH COATES, OF HAWORTH HALL, SWANLAND. HE HAD THREE SISTERS – MARGARET, DORA AND EFFIE. GEORGE COATES WAS A JOINER, UNMARRIED AND LIVED WITH HIS SISTER EFFIE, AT 7 ELLEN’S VILLAS, HOLLAND STREET, HULL (HULL DAILY MAIL ADDRESS). HE HAD SERVED ELEVEN YEARS IN THE RESERVES AND DURING THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR. HE WAS RECALLED AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR. BEFORE ENLISTING HE WORKED FOR THE NORTH EASTERN RAILWAYS, AT ALEXANDRA DOCK. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION, ON 17/06/1916, AGED 23. HIS DEATH AND PHOTOGRAPH WERE REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON 6TH JANUARY 1915. * ALSO IN THE HULL TIMES, ON 9TH JANUARY 1915. *
HE IS BURIED AT LINDENHOEK CHALET MILITARY CEMETERY, BELGIUM. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION, READS, “HE DID HIS DUTY”.
1/4th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment – Map 28 Wytschaete – 17 June 1916, War Diary reads:-
12.25am Enemy released Gas opposite E trenches, the wind at the time was North and rather variable. It blew the gas across the ‘New Cut’ trench E3. E1. E6 trenches. The gas cloud was very thick and lasted about 20 minutes. Few casualties were caused at first, but the after effects proved fatal in several cases, 2nd Lt WF Carlton was killed in F Trench, 2nd Lt Gresham very severely wounded, 2nd Lt Sutton slightly wounded, 2nd Lt WRR Brown and 2nd Lt Marshall were affected by shock and gas and left the trenches.
The Total casualties were, Officers killed 1, wounded 3, other ranks killed 10, wounded 74, missing 1. 5 other ranks of the wounded subsequently died at the dressing station at LINDENHOEK. 2nd Lt GH Lofthouse sick to hospital.
18 June 1916
Quiet day no casualties. 2nd Lt Carlton and 17 other ranks were buried at LINDENHOEK Cemetery, N.27.c. These men were casualties on the 17/06/1916. Six were killed by shellfire, 11 died of gas poisoning. 2 men of the wounded died in hospital and 2 others were buried at LOCRE.
