Background
Major Yate was born 14 March 1872 to the Reverend Prebendary George Edward Yate (1825–1908), the Vicar of Street Michael"s Church, Madeley from 1859 to 1908.
Major Yate was born 14 March 1872 to the Reverend Prebendary George Edward Yate (1825–1908), the Vicar of Street Michael"s Church, Madeley from 1859 to 1908.
Yate, from Madeley, Shropshire, attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and joined the British Army. Yate was educated at Weymouth College, and graduated from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, 9th out of 1100 cadets.
He saw service in British India, Mauritius, South Africa during the Second Boer War, as an observer during the Russo-Japanese War, and between 1908 and 1914 he was on the staff of the War Office in London. He joined the 2nd Battalion, the King"s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on 13 August 1892 in Bombay. He was seriously wounded during the Boer War.
There were no children.
He was promoted to the rank of major in 1912. Yate was fluent in French, German and Japanese, and could also speak Hindustani and Persian.
Yate was 42 years old, and a major in the 2nd Battalion, The King"s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, during the First World War when the following deed took place during the battle of Le Cateau for which he was awarded the Venture capital. On 26 August 1914 at Le Cateau, France, Major Yate commanded one of the two companies that remained to the end in the trenches, and when all other officers had been killed or wounded and ammunition exhausted, he led his 19 survivors against the enemy in a charge. He was captured by the Germans and interned in Targau prisoner of war camp.
After repeated attempts, he escaped a month later on 19 September 1914, but was quickly apprehended by local factory workers who suspected his appearance, and cut his own throat to avoid recapture and possible execution as a spy.
He died on 20 September 1914. He had had a lot of experience in the Far East and at home, and I am sure that if he had lived he would have become a general. He was always in front, and his constant cry was "Follow me!"
Yate is buried in grave World War II G. 8. at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Berlin South-Western Cemetery in Stahnsdorf, near Potsdam, Germany.
He is also listed on the parish war memorial, now on The Green, at Madeley.