Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Arnold Coates was born 1890 in Shildon, County Durham, the only son and one of 6 children, 1 boy and 5 girls, born to William John Coates 1861 and Mary Ann Hammond 1863, both native of Shildon. His parents were married April 1885 in the district of Bishop Auckland. In 1891 just after the birth of George Arnold they were living at 185 Clapton Terrace, Westoe , South Shields, his father was employed as a Life Assurance agent, ten years later they had transferred to 17 Delacour Street in Stanley and he was now employed as a coal miner - shifter below ground. George Arnold at the age of 21 was working as a colliery joiner, still living with his family, now at 50 Bloemfontein Terrace, Craghead.
George Arnold enlisted as Arnold Coates, September 16th 1914 in Newcastle upon Tyne, as Private 409 assigned to the 19th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. February 8th 1915 the 19th Battalion became a pioneer battalion and in July joined the 35th Division at Marsham in Norfolk. It was taken over by the War Office in August 1915 and landed at Le Havre, January 16th 1916. The battalion participate on the Western Front in the Battles of the Somme, Third Battle of Ypres and the First Battle of the Somme March 21st 1918 - April 5th 1918. It was during this last conflict that George Arnold was wounded and transported to Etaples an area transformed in WW1 into reinforcement camps and hospitals due to its remoteness and accessibility by train from both the northern and southern battlefields. It was here that Private 409 Arnold Coates Northumberland Fusiliers died of wounds March 29th 1918, he was 26 years old and single. His body was interred at Etaples Military Cemetery, grave XXXIII A 30A and marked with a cross. The graves were tended by the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps and later the crosses were replaced by a headstone.
George Arnold had nominated his mother as his sole beneficiary. She commissioned and paid for an inscription to be added to his headstone, it reads, Art And Music Live Forever With Our Hero’s A.C.V. His Duty Well Done. Mary Ann also received a pension, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal were sent to 7, Shafto Terrace, Craghead.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Arnold Coates is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 C120.02 C120.04 C120.07
His name is listed in the historical records of the 19th Battalion NUT256
