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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
BATE, Leonard, L/Tel, V7646, RCNVR, MPK - 10 Feb 1942, HMCS SPIKENARD - Son of Leonard and Gertrude Bate, Dundalk, ON.
L/Tel Leonard Bate died when HMCS SPIKENARD was torpedoed and sunk on 10 Feb 1942 by U-136.
Leading Telegrapher Leonard Bate - Parents of Leading Telegrapher Leonard Bate, RCN, who live at Dundalk, have received word that their son is "missing, believed lost" in the sinking of the corvette Spikenard. His father, Leonard Bate, was reported missing in the last war but turned up as a prisoner in Germany, where he spent three years. At the age of 14 Bate was the youngest radio amateur in Canada. Before enlisting he worked at radio stations at Kirkland Lake and Timmins, he was the youngest professional radio operator. Telegraphist Bate was the first boy to enlist from his home town, and is survived by his parents who reside at Dundalk, Ontario.
Ships served in: RCNVR DIVISION TORONTO - Enlisted 27 Sep 1939 as an O/Tel, RCNVR HMCS BRAS D'OR - Served in BRAS D'OR 01 Nov 1939 - 31 Jan 1940 as an O/Tel, RCNVR ANDRÉE DUPRÉ - Served in ANDRÉE DUPRÉ 01 May 1940 - 19 Oct 1940 as a Tel, RCNVR HMCS SPIKENARD - Drafted to 28 Nov 1940 SPIKENARD as a Tel, RCNVR. Rated A/L/Tel 01 Jun 1941
(LB01-LB02) Certificate of Services - pages 1 and 2 (LB03) Article on L/Tel Bate Missing believed lost
Tel Leonard Bate (right) with Tel Lionel Kennedy on HMCS ANDRÉE DUPRÉ - between May and Oct, 1940
Wartime memories - submitted by Barbara Holliday - My Dad, E.M. Lionel Kennedy, told me years ago that Len was his best friend and that they served together early in the war as telegraphers/radio operators in the RCNVR. They became friends while they were attending signals school at HMCS Stadacona in Halifax in the last months of 1939.
According to what Dad had told me, the photo of Dad and Len would have been taken on board the HMCS ANDRÉE DUPRÉ at some point in the nine month period after January 1940 when he and Len were posted to the refitted trawler as Telegraphists. The ANDRÉE DUPRÉ was used as an examination vessel for Halifax harbour, checking manifests and cargo of merchant ships that came into the harbour. In December 1940 Dad was posted to HMCS HEPATICA for convoy duty and most likely Len was posted to the SPIKENARD at the same time.
Second World War Casualty Index
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