Madeline Elsie BATES (2)

Madeline Elsie BATES. Nursing Sister VAD of the Millicent Sutherland Ambulance at Calais, France.

Born 1882 at Waltham Abbey, Essex to William John and Annie Maria Bates, of "Southover," Sturry, Kent. 1891 residing with her parents and siblings at Medbury, Chelmsford Road, Woodford, East London. 1901 occupation drapers assistant at Queen Street Ramsgate Kent. 1911 residing at Southover, Sturry, Westbere, Canterbury, Kent. Nursed in No 9 Red Cross Hospital, Millicent Sutherland Ambulance, Calais. 1917 treated in hospital for shellshock. Mortally wounded as the result of enemy bombing while on sick leave with shell shock (neurasthenia) 22 December 1917 aged 35. She was serving with Millicent Sutherland Ambulance, Calais.

At rest in St Churchyard, Shenfield, Essex.

Extract from The British Journal of Nursing dated 29 December 1917.

We regret to report the death, which occurred in an Essex hospital last week, of Miss Elsie Bates, a V.A.D. nurse, home on leave from France suffering from shellshock, (neurasthenia) who was struck on the head by a splinter of a bomb during the last raid. A sad fatality indeed

Extract from Newcastle Journal - Thursday 27 December 1917

V.A.D. Nurse Killed.

One of the victims of the last air raid was Miss Elsie Madeline Bated a V.A.D., nurse who had just returned from France. On hearing the guns she went to the verandah and was almost immediately struck on the head by a flying piece of a bomb. At the inquest it was stated that no warning was given in this district and that the order to “ Take cover” was not received until after the first bomb had been dropped.