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Bates, Trevor Harry

Date of birth:
May 16th, 1921 (Eltham/Kent, United Kingdom)
Date of death:
April 27th, 2008 (Belleville/Ontario, Canada)
Service number:
1252379 (NCO)/121204 (Officer)
Nationality:
British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Biography

Trevor Bates was educated at Harrow School served with with both 185 Squadron and 74 Trinidad Squadron.
After the war he joined the University Air Squadron while he studied at the Slade School in London and became a sculptor and teacher

Promotions:
? Sergeant
? Flight Sergeant
22 March, 1942: Pilot Officer (emergency)
1 October, 1942: Flying Officer on Probation (war sub)
22 March, 1944: FLight Lieutenant (war sub)

27 February, 1948: Appointment to commission in the RAFVR
1 May, 1951: Commission relinquished

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Flight Lieutenant
Unit:
No. 74 (Trinidad) Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:
February 27th, 1945
Recommendation:
"Flight Lieutenant T.H. Bates has completed 240 operational sorties, of these 100 were done from Malta during 1941 to 1942 when the air opposition was very strong. In July, 1943 Flight Lieutenant Bates, flying a Hurricane IIB, took part in an operation from a Base in the Western Desert to Crete and return, which entailed a sea flight of approximately 500 miles at low level. On this trip Flight Lieutenant Bates destroyed a truck, which was full of enemy troops, and straffed other motor transport and the German Headquarters on the Island. During the Aegean campaign, September to October 1943 he took part in the invasion of Cos; during his last patrol from Cos the aerodrome was made unserviceable through bombing and he carried out a successful landing on the Salt Pans, which was only 10 yards wide in places. When the Island was invaded by the Germans he mad a successful getaway in a launch. Since June this year he has completed a further 100 operational sorties – bombing, straffing, sweeps & etc. – in which he has helped in the destruction of enemy Headquarters, gun-pits and defended positions, which at times has entailed flying through very concentrated flak. He has destroyed 1 enemy aircraft, damaged another and destroyed at least 10 motor transport."
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

With "FRANCE AND GERMANY" clasp.
Air Crew Europe Star
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

With NORTH AFRICA 1942-43" clasp.
Africa Star

Sources

Photo