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Percy Bate's parents were both born in Shropshire. Richard was born in St Chad's, Shrewsbury, in 1856, and Martha in Hedgement, Salop, in 1857. Richard married Martha Tipton in 1878 in Atcham, Shropshire. They continued to live in Shropshire and their first two children were born in Ludlow St Lawrence, William in 1881 and Elizabeth in 1886.
By 1888 they had moved to Wales and were living in Brecon, having had three further children Ernest (1888), Alice (1892) and Percy (1897), all born in St Davids, Brecon.
In 1901 they are shown as living at 50, Newton Green, Llanfaes, Brecon, with their 5 children. Richard is a tinsmith and eldest son William is an engine cleaner.
By 1911 the family are still living in Newton Green but the four elder children are no longer at home and Percy, 14 is living with his parents, as well as Martha's brother William Tipton, 41, a stoker, and his son Edward, 21 a general labourer. Richard is now a boot maker. Richard and Martha record that at this time they have had 10 children, of whom 5 died.
Percy enlisted in Merthyr and joined the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery and became a gunner. The 44th Brigade went to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force and saw considerable action in the Retreat from Mons in August, as well as the Marne and the Aisne in September 1914. Percy was wounded at the front and subsequently died in hospital in France.
Gunner Percy Thomas Bate
Royal Field Artillery, 44th Brigade, service no. 75834
Died of wounds in France on 27th September, 1914, aged 18
Buried in the Vendresse British Cemetery in Aisne, France
(also commemorated in St David's Churchyard on his
parents’ gravestone)