| Surname: | Gates |
| Initials: | C W H |
| Rank: | Private |
| Army Number: | 6099086 |
| Notes: | CMP. H31/1040 he enlisted in to the 50 Queens Royal Regt. 1/6/42 transferred to CMP. Info from Army Record:- Address:- 10 Mulgrave Way, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey, born 29/12/12 at Yateley, Nr. Camberley, Hants, 18/4/40 he married Jane Alice, New at Woking, Surrey, served Home 24/6/40 to 10/2/46, Z (T) Reserve 7/2/46 to 9/2/54, AG Reserve 10/2/54 to 29/12/57. 13/3/44 to 25/3/44 German course, Maidstone. Served in Surrey Home Guard, residence Bisley, Surrey. 1/6/42 with 395 Coy VP, 11/9/45 with 304 Coy, VP. 8/2/45 to class Z (T) Reserve. 24/8/48. Defence Medal, War Medal. Address:- 6 Yeoman Terrace, Engleaeld Road, Knaphill, Woking Surrey. Charles William Henry Gates. Extract from the Tuesday Express - Tuesday 2 January 1945. UNUSUAL ACCIDENT. INQUIRY INTO RAILWAY PASSENGER'S MISHAP. An unusual accident of a railway passenger which terminated fatally on Christmas Day, was the subject of an inquest held by he East Kent Coroner Mr Rutley Mowll, at Willesbrough Hospital, Ashford on Wednesday, into the death of Mrs Ada Pleasance Richardson, 66, of "The Cabin", Dungerness. Her daughter Mrs Emily Ada Sharp, of "Cliff View", Dungerness said her mother was the widow of T Richardson a fisherman. About 7.15 pm on November 18, witness and her mother, arrived at Lydd railway station from Hastings. It was very dark an witness alighted first. Her mother who was was totally blind in one eye and had poor sight in the other but was fairly accustomed to travelling stepped from the carriage without assistance. Witness always assisted her to the platform. When Mrs Richardson was alighting a guard came along with a lantern and the witness saw that her mother had put her left foot downwards between the carriage footboard and the platform. A Military Policeman and another passenger lifter her from the platform, she appeared to be in no pain but could not walk, she was placed on a seat until a taxi arrived and conveyed her to the witnesses home. SHE SEEMED FAIRLY BRIGHT. Witness telephoned Dr. Palmer of Lydd, and he sent an ambulance which conveyed her to Willesbrough hospital where she was detained for 11 days and then conveyed back to the witnesses home. She seemed fairly bright but later appeared to be in poor health and Dr. Palmer was sent for. He found that she had influenza and two days later she was back in hospital. She died there in Christmas Day. "AFRAID NOT BE TIME." Her mother told her that she did not wait for assistance when alighting from the train because she was afraid there would not be time. William H Brignall of the "Yellow Bungalow" Dungerness, a fisherman, who was a passenger on the train, said that after alighting from the train he saw a Military Policeman assisting Mrs. Richardson to her feet. Witness helped the soldier . Pte. Charles W H Gates, CMP, VP. stated that he was at the station when the train pulled in and heard a woman cry out. With assistance he carried the woman to a nearby seat. James J Tabrett of 34, Aylford Place, Bentley Road, Willborough the guard on the train said that he saw Mrs, Richardson fall and noted that she was alighting unassisted. He went to help her but Brignall and the Military Policeman got to her first and released her. The distance between the platform and the carriage board was approximately 4" the correct distance. The coroner who recorded a verdict of death by misadventure, remarked that the mistake of Mrs Richardson alighting without assistance was due to her own actions and not that of any other person. |