Corporal Sidney Bates VC was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
16 Facts About Sidney Bates
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Sidney Bates was born in Camberwell, London on 14 June 1921 to Frederick, a rag and bone man, and Gladys May Bates.
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At the outbreak of World War II, Sidney Bates was working as a carpenter's labourer.
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Sidney Bates joined the British Army and served with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment in June 1940 shortly after it returned from being stationed in Delhi, British India.
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Sidney Bates seized a Bren light machine gun and leaving the trench charged, moving forward through a hail of bullets firing at the enemy.
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Sidney Bates was hit again and got up once more staggering forward for a few more yards before falling to the ground and not moving again.
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Sidney Bates's actions inspired the company who started firing back.
8.
The stretcher bearers collected Sidney Bates finding him only 15 yards from a dead German soldier n subsided.
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Corporal Sidney Bates was commanding the right forward section of the left forward company which suffered some, casualties, so he decided to move the remnants of his section to an alternative position whence he appreciated he could better counter the enemy thrust.
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Sidney Bates was almost immediately wounded by machine-gun fire and fell to the ground, but recovered himself quickly, got up and continued advancing towards the enemy, spraying bullets from his gun as he went.
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Sidney Bates was then hit for the second time and much more seriously and painfully wounded.
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Sidney Bates's constant firing continued until the enemy started to withdraw before him.
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Sidney Bates again fell to the ground but continued to fire his weapon until his strength failed him.
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Corporal Sidney Bates died shortly afterwards of the wounds he had received, but, by his supreme gallantry and self sacrifice he had personally restored what had been a critical situation.
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Sidney Bates's was one of five VCs won by members of the Royal Norfolk Regiment during the Second World War.
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The grave of Sidney Bates can be found in the Bayeux Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, Calvados, France.