Charles Loftus Bates

Brigadier-General Sir Charles Loftus Bates (1863-1951) was a British soldier, that served in the Second Boer War, and the First World War. He was a cavalry officer in the regular army, 1st (King's) Dragoon Guards and the commanding officer of the Northumberland Hussars, part of the yeomanry reserve.

He sat as a prospective member of parliament for Hexham and became the Chairman of the Race Course Owners Association and several coal companies.

History
Charles Loftus Bates was corn 2 August 1863, at Aydon, Northumberland, the son of Thomas Bates. He was educated at Eton College. He became an second-lieutenant in the Northumberland Militia (Royal Artillery) in January 1881, before joining the 1st (King's) Dragoon Guards as a lieutenant in January 1884, a regular cavalry regiment of the British Army. Until 10 March 1896, when as a captain, he resigns from the regular army.

Reserve
On 6 February 1900, he is appointed a captain in the reserve of officers. By October 1901 he was a major serving with the Northumberland Hussars a yeomanry regiment and on 22 November 1901 he was seconded to 5th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry, for service in the Second Boer War. He was severely wounded, during the war, and appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. Then on 28 October 1902, he relinquishes his position.

Returning home on 8 May 1903, he was granted the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel. He became a substantive lieutenant-colonel and commanding officer of the Northumberland Hussars on 24 March 1905. Was given the honorary rank of colonel on 4 August 1905, and in May 1913, was appointed as the Colonel of the Regiment for the Northumberland Hussars.

First World War
Just after the start of the First World War, on 10 November 1914, his reputation with horses led to his appointment as the Deputy Director of Remounts for the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front. The while holding the temporary rank of brigadier-general, he relinquished that post on 17 December 1915. The next month, on 11 January 1916, he was invested as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. Leaving the Western Front, he was posted to Egypt, and took up the post of Director of Remounts for the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. He remained in the Middle East for the remainder of the war, and was awarded the Order of the White Eagle 3rd class with swords on 19 February 1917, and was also mentioned in despatches. On 29 April 1919, he relinquished his appointment and was granted the honorary rank of brigadier-general, and was invested as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Civilian life
On 27 April 1892, at St. Mary's, Hexham, Bates married Katharine Leadbitter, the daughter of of Edward Leadbitter, from Spittal, Northumberland. They had one son Edward Giles Bates, who served in the Northumberland Fusiliers during the First World War. He also took part in the 1910 election, as a Conservative, contesting the Hexham seat. The next year in December 1911, he was appointed as the Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Northumberland.

After the First World War he was appointed as the Chairman of the Race Course Owners Association. Then in later life he became the Chairman Bedlington Coal Company Limited between 1923-1947, the Director of the Wallsend and Hebburn Coal Company Limited between 1940-1947 and the Director Hartley Main Collieries from 1947. Charles Loftus Bates died in 1951.