Eric Bates

Eric Bates was born in Yorkshire in 1928 to a father who was a WWI veteran and a miner. His father died early, and Eric moved around during WWII, then joined MN in 1945 at age 15. He joined the RAF and served as MT fitter in Singapore and as a pilot in the Cold War and the Middle East. He then migrated to Australia, serving four years as a pilot in RAAF at Edinburgh, South Australia, and then in Queensland.

Eric Bates was born in Yorkshire in 1928 to a father who was a WWI veteran and a miner. His father died early, and Eric moved around during WWII, then joined MN in 1945 at age 15. He joined the RAF and served as MT fitter in Singapore and as a pilot in the Cold War and the Middle East. He then migrated to Australia, serving four years as a pilot in RAAF at Edinburgh, South Australia, and then in Queensland. See less