Lieutenant David Roulston Bates
David Roulston Bates was born on 24 March 1890 at Donoughmore, Castlefinn, Co. Donegal, son of farmer William John Bates and Margaret Bates (nee Roulston).
Bates enlisted in the North of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry in December 1907 (No.816), aged 17 years 9 months.
He joined the North Irish Horse at Newbridge on 6 July 1908 (No.24) when that regiment replaced the disbanded North of Ireland Yeomanry. He was made Lance Corporal on 7 April 1911, Corporal on 11 May 1911, and Sergeant on 30 April 1912.
Bates left the regiment on 5 July 1912 at the end of his four-year engagement, but re-enlisted at Castlefin on 21 October that year (No.743). He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on 8 April 1913.
Sent to France on 9 February 1915 with a reinforcement detachment, he was posted to A Squadron.
On 8 January 1916 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and posted to the 19th Reserve Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles:
Mr. David R. Bates, whose parents reside at Cranone, near Strabane, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant whilst in France. He has had a good many years’ service with the North Irish Horse, and at the outbreak of hostilities was called to the colours, holding at that time the rank of sergeant. Lieutenant Bates will be posted to the Royal Irish Rifles. He took a keen interest in the Ulster Volunteer Force. (Belfast News-Letter, 7 January 1916)
Bates was posted to the 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles in France in 1916 or 1917. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 8 July 1917. On 2 December 1917 he left France for England suffering from arthritis in the shoulder. He served much of the remainder of the war at the Technical Institute, Belfast. He was discharged on 22 January 1919.
He died 26 July 1963.
Image sourced from www.myheritage.com. Others pictured are (standing left to right) Elizabeth Catherine Bates (sister), John George Orr Bates (brother), ? (brother), ? (sister); (sitting front) Albert Moore Bates (brother). Another image can be found here.