Brigadier-General F S Montague-Bates CB CMG DSO

Commanding Officer - The East Surrey Regiment

Commanded 1^st Bn The East Surrey Regiment from 21^st December 1923 to 21^st December 1927.

Francis Stewart Montague-Bates was born on 8^th February 1876. After serving in the ranks of Lumsden’s Corps for 166 days he was commissioned in The East Surrey Regiment on 4^th August 1900 and joined the 2^nd Battalion. For some time he commanded a Section of a Mounted Infantry Company formed from men of 2 Surreys and 1 Durham Light Infantry.

For his services in the South African War he was received the Queen's Medal and four clasps.

From July 1902 to June 1906 he was seconded to the South African Constabulary and from April 1910 to April 1912 he served with Canadian Forces. In May 1914 he was appointed adjutant of the 6^th Battalion and in November he joined 2^nd Bn The Queen's Royal Regiment in France with a draft of 207 and assumed command of the Battalion. Later he rejoined 1^st Bn The East Surrey Regiment and on 22^nd August 1915 was appointed to command vice Lt Col CCC G Ashton who was invalided to UK. He continued to command the Battalion until 17^th January 1916 when he was posted to command 12^th Bn The Cheshire Regiment.

From September to November 1916 he commanded a Brigade with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force and a Brigade with the British Salonika Force from November 1916 to April 1919. On 8^th October 1920 he was made Brevet Lt Col and relinquished the temporary rank of Brigadier-General. In November 1920 he returned to UK from Turkey and joined the 2^nd Battalion. In June 1921 he was OC Troops, Dublin Castle. In August 1922 he rejoined the 1^st Battalion from Ireland and commanded the Battalion from 21^st December 1923 to 21^st December 1927. On 10^th March 1928 he was appointed to command 141^st (5^th London)) Infantry Brigade (TA).

He retired from the Army on 10^th March 1932. In the 1939-45 War he served with the Home Guard.

For his services in the 1914-18 War and in the inter war years He was made a CB and a CMG and awarded the DSO.

He was Mentioned in Despatches six times and awarded the French Legion of Honour 4^th Class, the French War Cross with Palm and the Order of the Redeemer 3^rd Class (Greece).

He died on 21^st June 1954.

For obituary see the Journal of The East Surrey Regiment Vol VI No 3 November 1954 page 105.

 

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