George Alfred Bateman was one of the seven children of James and Annie Bateman. He was born in Gas Alley, Thame in 1878, and baptised at St Mary’s church on the 29th February 1880.

In 1891, at the age of 13, George was working as an agricultural labourer. By 1901, the family had moved to Four Ashes, Hughenden, near High Wycombe, where George was employed as a carter. Later that same year he married Clara Bates, and moved to High Wycombe, where they went on to have five children.

After moving to Woking, Surrey, shortly before the start of the war, George enlisted with the Royal Engineers at Woolwich in March 1915, service number 89239, with the rank of Pioneer (non trade).

He went to France in October 1915, and by 1918 had reached the rank of Sapper, serving with the 144th Army Troops Company, attached to the Fifth Army.

He was killed on 28th March 1918 near Le Hamel in Picardy, where the company were involved in the strengthening and defence of trenches during the German Spring Offensive.

His widow received £24 12s. 10d. in accrued pay and war gratuity.

Sapper Bateman has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. He is also remembered on the Woking Memorial, but has no memorial in Thame.