Victor Bathgate

Died of wounds aged 20 on 28/4/1919. He was Private 41370 Royal Scots Fusiliers. The son of Mrs. Elizabeth Bathgate of 5 Dean Street, Hexham. He is buried at Hexham Cemetery, A.C. 102. Victor’s MIC states he was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. He landed in France on 20/4/15. His papers survive on Ancestry.

From the book ‘The Faith and Fire Within, In Memory of the men of Hexham who fell in the Great War’ by Alan Isaac Grint – “ Victor was born in Hexham and was the son of Mrs Elizabeth Bathgate of Dean Street, Hexham. Originally Victor enlisted in the forces when he was fifteen and was sent back from France, because of his age. Victor was wounded on 16th September 1916 during an attack on the Somme whilst serving with the 1/4th Northumberland Fusiliers. After convalescence he initially joined the Highland Light Infantry but was later transferred to the Royal Scots. On 12th of April he received gunshot wounds. The Hexham Courant reported that he was dangerously wounded in the back and was in hospital in Sheffield. His m other had already lost a son, Rifleman James William Banks (died May 1915). A year later, after no fewer than fourteen operations, Victor died with his mother at his bedside”.
Victor was laid to rest in Hexham cemetery with full military honours. The following words from the Gospel of John are found on his headstone:

GREATER LOVE
HATH NO MAN THAN THIS
THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE
FOR HIS FRIENDS


Hexhar War Memorial
Hexham Cemetery

Hexhar War Memorial

Hexham Cemetery