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Sapper George Edward Bathe
Canadian Expeditionary Force 4th Field Company Canadian Engineers
from:Montreal, Canada
George Edward Bathe was born in 1883 in Nutfield, Surrey, while his father was drillmaster at the Redhill Reformatory. On 28 March 1907, he sailed for North America on the SS Kensington in the company of Lizzie Dann from Nettlestead, Kent. The couple arrived in Portland, Maine, on 10 April and then moved on to Montreal in Canada. On 14 September 1907 they married at Grace Church, Montreal, with George’s brother William Harry Bathe as one witness. George Bathe volunteered for the Canadian forces going overseas in WWI. Having already served in the militia as a member of the 4th Field Company Canadian Engineers, George was sent for training at the Canadian Engineers Training Depot, Shorncliffe, Kent, arriving on 12 July 1915. While training, George was promoted first to acting lance corporal (5 October 1916) and then acting corporal (19 November) but on 25 April 1917, he asked to revert to his substantive rank of sapper. He had received a good conduct badge earlier that month on the second anniversary of his enlistment. George Bathe went to France on 21 June 1917, joining the Canadian Engineers Reinforcement Pool before being taken on the strength of 4th Field Company on 1 July. He served with his unit – which saw action in the mud of Passchendaele – until 11 November when he reported sick and was transferred to No 1 South African Hospital, Abbeville, suffering from various conditions associated with the unsanitary conditions at the Front. After treatment, he was moved to No 5 Convalescent Camp, at Cayeux, on the coast near Boulogne. He was discharged from Cayeux, but clearly was not fit and on 6 January 1918 he was at No 3 Australian General Hospital, also at Abbeville, and was then taken back to the UK to the 3rd Western General Hospital, Cardiff, when he underwent an operation. On 6 February, he was transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom, (Hut 94 GD) from where he wrote to his brother Gunner John Victor Bathe, then serving in Salonika. On 19 April, he was discharge fit for light duties and was based at the CERD at Seaford. However he had further health problems and was admitted to No14 Canadian General Hospital, Meads, Eastbourne, on 17 September. After surgery, he was transferred to Princess Patricia’s Canadian Red Cross Hospital, Cooden Camp, Bexhill on 14 October, where he remained until 29 November before again being discharged to CERD until he was due for demobilisation. He embarked on HMT Saturnia at Glasgow on 18 June 1919 and arrived at Montreal ten days later. He was eventually demobilised on 2 July.
